MANABOZH 



THe-eRE-ATWHITfRAB 




M AUOe • RADPORDWARKEN 



Class 

Book.^-L 



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MANABOZHO 




The Beaver caught the little coal in his paw and ran for his life 



MANABOZHO 

THE GREAT WHITE RABBIT 



AND 

OTHER INDIAN STORIES 

By 

MAUDE RADFORD WARREN 

Author of ''King Arthur and His Knights,^* ''Robin Hood 
and His Merry Men,'' "Little Pioneers" 



Illustrated by 
WARNER CARR 




RAND McNALLY & COMPANY 

CHICAGO NEW YORK 



Copyright, iqi8 
By Maude Radford Warren 




To 

mux fttillikan 

with love from 

"Auntie Maude" 




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THE CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The Colored Illustrations . . . . . . lo 

The Foreword ii 

How Manabozho Made the Land . 13 

The First Summer in the New World 19 

The Story of the Pine Trees 26 

How Manabozho Went Fishing 35 

Manabozho 's Adventure with the Sea Serpent ... 40 
Manabozho 's Adventure with the Shining Magician . 46 

The First Travels of Paupukewis 51 

The Further Adventures of Paupukewis and the Wolves 56 

How Paupukewis Got His Winter Food 61 

The Adventure of Paupukewis with the Beavers and 

Brants 65 

The Last Adventure of Paupukewis 71 

The Story of the Raccoon and the Crawfish . . . . 76 

The Story of the Hopper 80 

The Deeds of the Fox 85 

How the Fox Was Punished 89 

The Adventure of the Black Cat . . . . . . .95 

The Hare and the Woodpecker loo 

The Story of Shingebiss 104 

The Story of the Six Young Eagles 109 

The Story of the Summer-Maker . . \ . . . . .114 

The Visit to the Sky 121 

How the Animals Lost Their Speech 127 

The Bibliography 133 

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THE COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING PAGE 

The Beaver caught the little coal in his paw and ran for his 

life Frontispiece 

The animals were gathered about the Great White Rabbit . . .13 

The Beaver saw the deep red glow of the fire 30 

Paupukewis and the wolves fell in with the tracks of a moose . . 52 

The Raccoon stuck out his claws toward the Crawfish . . . , 76 

The Pig squealed and ran angrily toward the Yellow Cat . . . 92 

Gray Eagle stood on the edge of the nest no 

The beavers all rose up to greet the king of the elks 128 



10 



THE FOREWORD 



To-day people are thinking as they never did before of how 
priceless are the spirit and the ancient soil of any nation. Perhaps 
there could be no more fitting time to bring to young children some- 
thing of the spirit of the primitive, fettered, but noble race that 
held our wide lands before they came to be ours. We teach school 
children m3rths that are Grecian and Roman, Celtic and Slavic; it 
is also important that they should absorb something of the myths 
of the North American Indians. 

The average child thinks of his predecessors on this continent 
with superiority, possibly with a touch of contempt, as savages. 
He knows that their civilization was meager, that they were hunters 
rather than agriculturists, were ignorant of the serene arts that 
help a race to grow, just as prowess in warfare has so far always 
helped to keep a race in possession of its own land. He knows 
that the Indians were not builders nor musicians nor poets nor 
painters except in the crudest fashion; that their boats were of the 
simplest, their transportation facilities negligible, their commerce 
quite lacking; that they had no cows, and practically no vegetables 
except corn. 

Yet scantily fitted forth though the Indians were, primitive and 
fettered, they had great and good qualities. The legends of Mana- 
bozho or the Great White Rabbit show these qualities: hospitality, 
generosity, bravery, patience, unselfishness, a sense of protection for 
the weaker, a sense, too, of justice — the child may find them all in 
these tales of the animals in whom the Indians saw himian charac- 
teristics. Manabozho cares for his subjects; he will not permit the 
King of the Fishes to wreak wrong upon the helpless. He directs 
his animals, but he lets them help themselves, too, as when he has 
them solve the problem of getting their fire from the pines and the 

II 



12 



THE FOREWORD 



cedars. He is grateful when the gulls and the woodpecker help 
him. He is brave in the face of pain when the serpents are trying 
him. He shows patience under the wickedness of the deceitful 
spirit Paupukewis, punishing him only when patience is no longer 
wisdom. There is the cheerful endurance of the little Brown Duck, 
the bravery of the Fisher, the unselfishness of Gray Eagle. 

The legends exemplify, too, the picturesque qualities for which 
the child reader looks : love of adventure, and love of the dramatic, 
for many of the tales develop the element of conflict. Marked, 
too, is the appreciation for the main characteristic of the animals: 
the wisdom of the wolf; the silliness of the hare; the trickiness of 
the raccoon; the diligence of the beaver. A somber knowledge of 
good and evil, and a certain haunting wonder at the injustice of the 
world are to be found in such stories as those of the pine trees, of 
Paupukewis, and of how the animals lost their speech. 

Nor is there lacking a sense of imagination, and, here and there, 
a keen feeling for beauty, as when Manabozho forms the land, and 
the beautifully colored dust, sifting over the earth from the wings 
of the butterfly, makes the flowers and the grass to grow; or when 
the animals run up over the rainbow to reach the sky ; or when the 
serpents are called the bright old inhabitants and their ruler the 
shining magician; or again, when the moon is partly shaded because 
she is carrying against her bright body the dark body of her Httle son. 

To build up in the mind of the young reader respect and admira- 
tion for the elder people whose land is now ours is not only bare 
justice, but it is an advantage to the child. It is an enrichment, 
and, with a skillful teacher, it may be made an inspiration. 

Maude Radford Warren 



I 




MANABOZHO 

THE GREAT WHITE RABBIT 

HOW MANABOZHO MADE THE LAND 

THE rabbit is such a small animal now that no one 
thinks very highly of him. Yet there was once a 
great white rabbit, named Manabozho, who was king of 
all the birds and beasts and fishes. He was the largest 
and bravest and most powerful of all the animals. The 
biggest elephant in the world would have looked as small 
as a beetle beside huge Manabozho. 

Once there was a flood over all the world. A great 
canoe floated on the water. It was filled with animals 
of all sorts. They were gathered about the Great White 
Rabbit. Manabozho's fur showed like snow against 
their brown and black and yellow fur. 
''Save us, Manabozho," cried the Ox. 
The Beaver and the Moose and the tricky Raccoon 
cried for help; so did the Elk and the Wolf, the Fox 
ai^d the Hopper, and all the rest. 

"We must have some land," cried the Ox. 
"Yes, yes," said the Elk. 

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MANABOZHO 



''I want trees to build with," said the Beaver. 

"And I want them to nest in," said the Raven. 

"I will help you," replied Manabozho. ''But you 
must help, too. One of you must dive in the water 
and fetch me a little earth for a beginning." 

''That is easy," said the Ox and the Elk. 

"Then you go," said Manabozho to the Ox. 

"I can't go," said the Ox, "for my tail would be 
in the way." 

"Then you go, Elk," said Manabozho. 

"Not I," answered the Elk. "I have two horns, 
and they would hinder me." 

Then Manabozho spoke to the Raven. 

"You have such sharp eyes," he said. "Will you 
try? Perhaps you will come to a tree tinder the water's 
surface on which a little grain of sand may be sticking." 

The Raven was obliging. So she took off her tail 
feathers, and dived. She was gone a long, long time. 
They were all afraid she was drowned. At last she came 
back, tired out. 

"I could find nothing," she said faintly. 

"You did your best," said Manabozho kindly, to 
her. "Beaver, you try. You are at home either on 
land or in water. If you succeed, you shall be the best 
builder of all the animals forever. You shall be king 
of the water." 



HOW MANABOZHO MADE THE LAND 15 

The Beaver agreed. He plunged in boldly. He 
was gone even longer than the Raven. They thought 
he was surely drowned. At last they saw his body 
floating on the waves. 

They paddled the canoe up to him. The animals 
made a great noise as the Rabbit drew him in. But 
the Beaver was not dead. After a while he sighed a 
little, and feebly held up one paw. Sticking to it was 
a tiny dot of mud. 

Manabozho took this mud and patted it between 
his paws. It began to grow larger and larger. At first - 
it was as large as a pigeon's egg. Then it was as large 
as a burdock leaf. When it was as large as the shadow 
a pine tree casts, the Rabbit made it a little higher in 
the middle. Then he tied a string to it and set it on 
the water. It floated. Manabozho said to the Wolf, 
''Jump on, my good Wolf.'* 

The Wolf did so, but he was so big that he nearly 
upset the earth. 

''Run about quickly. Run round the edges," called 
Manabozho. 

The Wolf obeyed, and at once the land began to 
grow. The animals in the canoe had to paddle farther 
and farther away from the edges of it. At last they 
could hardly see the Wolf when he was on the side most 
distant from them. 



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MANABOZHO 



Then Manabozho sent the Bear to help the Wolf. 
But the Bear made too many swamps. 

"Come back," said the Rabbit. "We want land 
that is dry." 

"Yes, yes," cried all the animals. "It has been 
wet long enough." 

Then Manabozho sent the Deer out. He bounded 
and leapt so much in his joy that he made deep valleys 
and high mountains on the land. 

' ' Come back, come back, ' ' called Manabozho. ' ' We 
can*t be always running up and down hill." 

So the Deer came back. 

Next Manabozho sent out the Butterfly. She had 
beautifully colored dust on her wings. As she fluttered 
this fell off. At once beautiful flowers and grass sprang 
up over the land. The animals were glad to see them. 

"Now give us trees," begged the Raven and the 
other birds. 

Manabozho steered the canoe up to the land. He 
jumped upon the yellow sand that edged it. The other 
animals followed him. 

He put sticks into the groimd, and all at once trees 
rose up. There were willows and beeches and oaks and 
a great many firs and pine trees. They were wonderful 
trees, for they could move about. But for a while they 
stood still to see what else Manabozho would do. 



HOW MANABOZHO MADE THE LAND 




The Deer hounded and leapt so much that he made deep valleys 
and high mountains 



"Is it all finished?" asked the animals and birds 
as they rolled about on the grass and flew about among 
the trees. 

"No," said Manabozho. "We have no rivers and 
lakes. You may think that you have had enough water, 
but you will need it in the future." 

Then he drew long rivers through the land with his 
claws. The two longest were the river St. Lawrence 
and the Mississippi. He then scooped out a chain of 
great lakes: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, St. Clair, 
and Ontario. And he spread beautiful sand on their 
shores. 



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MANABOZHO 



He sent the whales and fishes and crabs and craw- 
fish and beavers and otters into the water. He told 
most of the quadrupeds to keep away from the water, 
and he told the birds to live in the air. 

When all was done, he sent the Raven to find out 
how large his land was. It was days and days before 
she returned. She was very thin and tired. 

"Why were you so long?" asked the Great White 
Rabbit. 

"I am sorry," said the Raven, "but I could not 
help being gone a long time. I flew and flew, but I did 
not get to the end of the world. I have been to the 
north, where there is nothing but mounds of ice. I 
have been to the south, where the woods are rich with 
perftmie, and where the birds make sweet music. I 
have been to the west, and have seen the Rocky Moun- 
tains and the salt water beyond them. And there is 
another great body of salt water at the east. It is a 
wonderful world, and I could not find the end of it." 

Then Manabozho and all the animals were satisfied. 



THE FIRST SUMMER IN THE NEW 

WORLD 

DURING the summer the White Rabbit was like a 
father to all the other animals. He was the only 
one who could remember what their life had been like 
before the great flood came. All they knew was that 
they had found themselves in the big canoe. The 
waters were about them, and the White Rabbit sat in 
the midst of them, the master of them all. 

They could remember everything that happened 
from that moment. The Badger knew that his legs 
were mud-colored because he had jtmiped from the 
canoe into some mud at the edge of the land. The 
Turkey knew that his dark feathers had colored gleams 
here and there, because the whale had splashed a few 
drops of water over him. But whenever any of the 
animals wanted to know what had happened before 
the great flood, they came to Manabozho, who remem- 
bered everything, and asked questions. 

One day the Ground Hog and the Badger and the 
Mole came to the Great White Rabbit. 

"Manabozho," they said, ''we keep making burrows 

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MANABOZHO 



for ourselves in the ground, and hiding there away from 
the Sun. Why is this?" 

''It is your nature," he repHed. "I will tell you 
how it happened. Once we all lived underground in 
a great cavern, where it was dark and cold." 

The Cat, who was always basking in the sun, shivered 
when she heard this. 

''But after a time," continued Manabozho, "cracks 
appeared in the rocks which roofed the cavern. Through 
these, gleams of light came. The animals all wondered 
what it was. They said they would like to find out. 
They were tired of eating sand, and of chewing at the 
roots of a big vine, which stretched up into the roof of 
the cavern. 

"They kept asking each other if there was any way 
of getting out of the cavern. At last the chief Rattle- 
snake said that he had been told that there was a world 
above the cavern. It was very beautiful, and full of 
good food. 

"Many of the animals said that they would try to 
find it. Others said that they were afraid. The Ground 
Hog and the Badger and the Mole said that they were 
not afraid, but that they would rather stay in the dark 
cavern. The Rattlesnake and the Tortoise said that 
they were not afraid but that they would like to spend 
part of the year in the cavern." 



THE FIRST SUMMER IN THE NEW WORLD 21 




One day the Ground Hog and the Badger and the Mole came to 
the Great White Rabbit 



"What happened next?" asked the animals, as 
Manabozho paused. 

''All the animals went to the roots of the big vine, 
and began to climb up, up toward the gleams of light. 
It was a very stout old vine, or it would never have borne 
all their weight. Up and up went the figures. They 
all looked dark and shadowy. Even the yellow fur of 
the Fox seemed as brown as the fur of the Bear. 

"But by and by those climbing below the Fox saw a 
streak of gold upon his back. It was a great ray of sun- 
light across him. Then every one knew that there must 
be a hole at the top of the cavern. And so there was. 



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MANABOZHO 



"They all went through it, and found themselves 
in a beautiful world full of sunlight. The air was warm 
and sweet. The trees were green, and the grass was 
green, and full of scarlet and yellow and white flowers. 
The animals were all delighted. 

''But," finished Manabozho, speaking particularly 
to the Ground Hog and the Badger and the Mole, "you 
three had preferred the cavern; so you are allowed to 
go underground whenever you want to. The Tortoise 
and the Rattlesnake hide away for winter." 

The animals were very well pleased with the story. 
The Cat, however, could hardly believe that she had 
ever been content to stay underground. 

"The Sun is so delightful, Manabozho," she said, 
purring contentedly. "I should not like to live with- 
out it." 

"And yet you did live for a long time without it," 
said the Rabbit. "The animals were wicked, and that 
was why the flood was sent. When the water came, 
the Sun went out." 

The animals all moved uneasily. They remem- 
bered very well the dreary days in the canoe before 
Manabozho made the land. 

"Tell us about the Sun, Manabozho," said the Cat. 
"Why doesn't it shine at night as well as in the day- 
time?" 



THE FIRST SUMMER IN THE NEW WORLD 23 

"That would be doing too much work," said Mana- 
bozho. ''The Sun is a powerful spirit, and the Moon is 
another spirit. For a long time they were strangers to 
each other. Then they decided to marry and to work 
together to help the world. They agreed that the Sun 
should walk by day, and the Moon by night." 

"Yes," said the Cat, "but the Moon does not 
always walk at night. And sometimes when she does 
only part of her shows." 

"That is easily explained," said Manabozho. "She 
and the Sun have a little boy. But he is not bright as 
they are; he is very black. The Moon often carries him 
in her arms, and when she does, his dark body covers 
up her bright body." 

"What are the little spots we see on her, Mana- 
bozho?" asked the Mapgie, who was full of curiosity. 

"Those are her cap," said the White Rabbit. ''She 
likes to wear a cap to add to her dignity." 

"I like the stars better," said the Owl. "When 
the rest of you are asleep, I am awake in the tree, and I 
look up at them. Sometimes I think they are the 
beautiful eyes of owls in heaven. And again I think 
that they are flowers that are leaning down their heads 
trying to kiss the flowers in the grass." 

"That is a very pretty thought for you to have, 
brother Owl," said Manabozho approvingly. 



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MANABOZHO 




"/ like the stars better. When the rest of you are asleep, I look up at them'' 



"I like the comets," said the Fox. ''For they have 
tails something like mine." 

At this all the animals laughed. The Fox was very 
proud of his tail. It was indeed handsome, but not so 
beautiful as the tail of a comet. 

"What else is in the sky?" asked the Magpie. 

' * The Thimder Bird, ' ' said Manabozho. ' ' But let 's 
not talk of him. We shall see him and hear him soon 
enough. Let us enjoy the summer days while we can." 

And so the summer days passed happily. The birds 
built nests; the squirrels worked at getting food for 
winter. But the Beaver did the best work of all. 



THE FIRST SUMMER IN THE NEW WORLD 25 

The Beaver had short, strong legs with which he 
swam; and a smooth, thick, fiat tail, which he used as a 
kind of rudder. Two great teeth projected from his 
mouth. He used these like a saw to cut down trees. 

In making his house, he built the walls of logs, put- 
ting the thickest ones at the bottom. He plastered 
the spaces between the logs with mud and sticks. The 
roof he made round. He divided the house into several 
stories; the bottom story had a little door. One of the 
stories he used as a place for food. 

Manabozho praised the Beaver for his neat work, 
and told all the other animals to profit by his example. 
And thus the summer passed, all the animals living 
happily together. 



THE STORY OF THE PINE TREES 

DURING this first summer, the trees cotild walk 
just like the animals. At first this was rather 
disturbing. The Raven would fly home at night to the 
spot where she had left her tree in the morning, and 
she would find only a hole in the ground. Sometimes 
she would go to sleep after having had a chat with 
the crow. When she waked up she would call to the 
crow. Then she would find that her tree had gone for 
an early morning stroll, and that she was many miles 
away from her neighbors. 

However, the birds soon got used to these traveling 
trees. After a while they really liked the excitement 
of not being sure in what part of the country they would 
sleep or wake. But as autumn came on, they felt the 
need of a steady home, particularly when the weather 
was bad. 

For gradually the summer was dying. The maple 
trees were changing their green into yellow and scarlet. 
The oak leaves were becoming brown and shriveled. 
The aspens and beeches were casting their green leaves 
in heaps on the groimd. 

26 



THE STORY OF THE PINE TREES 27 




The Raven would fly home at night and find only a hole in the ground 



Worst of all, the Thunder Bird appeared very often. 
He was a terrible creature. His big body and his head 
and wings were made of black clouds, and his eyes and 
mouth of fire. He was so large that his shadow darkened 
all the heavens. The Sun would be shining, and all of 
a sudden the big bird's wings would snuff it out. 
Whenever he flapped these wings, he made thunder. 
Whenever he winked and flashed his eyes, great streaks 
of lightning tore across the sky. No wonder the animals 
feared him. They knew that whenever he came it 
would rain. 

As the weather grew colder, many of the animals 
suffered greatly. But the pine trees and the cedars 



28 



MANABOZHO 



did not mind the cold. They alone seemed bright and 
cheerful. 

"Why are they so happy when we feel so uncom- 
fortable?" asked the animals. 

"Because they have the secret of fire, my children," 
answered Manabozho. "If you can get it from them, 
you will be warm." 

"Can you not force them to give it up?" 

Manabozho shook his head sadly. 

"There are some things I cannot do," he said. 
"Already there are some unkind ones in my world, and 
I cannot help it. You must try yourselves to get the 
fire from the pine trees." 

"The pine trees and cedars are very beautiful," 
said Ahmik, the Beaver. "But they are so selfish that 
I forget all about their beauty. They will not give the 
fire even to their companions, the other trees. The 
poor willows and beeches are shivering from the cold, 
and so are the aspens." 

"They are good, kind trees," said Manabozho. 
"The willow puts on her spring clothes early to cheer us 
with the hope of simimer. The beech and aspen are 
always kind about throwing shade, and coaxing cooling 
breezes through their branches when we sit under them." 

"The pine trees and cedars have never helped me," 
grumbled Ahmik. "I sometimes think they throw pine 



THE STORY OF THE PINE TREES 29 

cones and needles at me on purpose. Do call a council 
of the animals, Manabozho. Perhaps we can decide 
on a way to get the fire from them." 

Manabozho called the council, but all that the ani- 
mals could decide upon was that the pines and cedars 
should not be allowed to keep the fire to themselves. 
The next question was, who was to get it away from 
them. When this question was asked, there was a deep 
silence in the council. 

At last Manabozho, who was presiding, said, ''My 
children, I shotild like to help you, as I have said, but I 
am not allowed to tell you what to do." 

Finally the Beaver, Ahmik, said, ''I am not sure 
that I can do anything well except build houses. But 
if you are all wiUing, I am ready to try to get the fire." 

All the animals agreed to this, for they knew that 
Ahmik was faithful and persevering. And those who 
are faithful and persevering generally succeed. 

For the next few days Ahmik kept as close as he 
could to the pine trees and cedars. He hoped that they 
would talk about the fire. But though they often bent 
their tall heads over to one another and whispered, he 
could never hear what they said. At last one day he 
found out that they were going to hold a great council. 

First of all, they went bathing in the river. 
That is all very well for them," grumbled the 



30 



MANABOZHO 



animals, "for they can warm themselves by a fire after- 
wards." 

Ahmik swam in the water with them. But he could 
not hear them say anything about fire. When they 
had bathed, they all went up on the bank. 

''Let us build a fire and hold our council around it," 
said the king of the pine trees. 

''Very well," said the queen of the cedars. "But 
first of all, let us post sentinels all about. We do not 
want the animals to hear what we say in council, or to 
take any of our fire." 

So large, thick pine trees were chosen as sentinels. 
They made great hops down to the foot of the bank near 
the water's edge. As they went they waved their 
branches, and wagged their heads proudly. Other 
sentinels stood on the top of the bank. 

They did not see Ahmik. He had crawled into a 
little hollow overhung by a bush. He was only a few 
feet away from the trees who were in the council. But 
they spoke so low that he could not hear their words. 

The queen of the cedars was sure that the sentinels 
could guard them safely. So she ordered a very large 
fire to be built. The Beaver strained his eyes to see 
what they made it of, but he could not. However, he 
soon saw a deep red glow which told him that the fire 
was ready. 



THE STORY OF THE PINE TREES 31 

"More fire, more fire!" cried the queen, clapping 
her branches. 

And the king, who wished to please her, piled on more 
logs. The flames danced high, and the trees danced 
round the fire, singing. The songs of the pine trees and 
cedars are never happy. They are always melancholy 
or wild. But the pine trees and cedars enjoyed them- 
selves as they sang. 

Presently a little coal hopped' off the high fire, and 
began to roll down the bank. The sentinels had their 
backs to it, because they were all looking at the trees 
in the council. The other pines and cedars did not see 
it, for they were tossing their heads in the air and singing. 

So the little coal rolled quickly along. Imagine 
how anxiously Ahmik watched it! He knew that if he 
only could get it, it would tell him the secret of fire. 
The little coal, still glowing a bright crimson, rolled 
very near Ahmik, and then stopped. 

The Beaver sprang out of his hollow, caught the 
little coal in his paw, and ran for his life. The trees 
stood still for a moment. Then they guessed what had 
happened, and ran after Ahmik. 

" Come! Come with us," they cried to all the other 
trees they met. 

Some of the trees followed them and others did not. 
Poor Ahmik rushed on breathlessly. The little coal 



32 MANABOZHO 

told him that if he could reach some willows and beeches 
he would be safe. The coal would tell the secret of fire 
to them. So on he hurried. 

He made big leaps, and queer turns. And his tracks 
were so deep that they made the bed of a river, the 
Grande Ronde River. If you go to Canada to-day you 
will still find the river, and you will understand why it 
winds and twists so much. 

On went Ahmik. Some of the trees grew tired, and 
grouped themselves on the banks of the river he was 
making. From that spot they watched him. The 
queen, followed by the other cedars, rushed to the top 
of a hill to see him better. A few of the big pines ran 
after her. 

Before any tree caught up to Ahmik, he reached the 
willows and beeches, and gave them the coal. The coal, 
which was not so bright as it had been, whispered the 
secret of fire, and then fell into ashes. Ahmik sank 
down, too tired to talk. The other animals crowded 
about him, and Manabozho praised him. 

''You have done bravely, dear Ahmik," he said. 
"Now the beech trees and the willows will always 
give us fire. And see! The selfish pines and the cedars 
are punished." 

The animals looked. They saw the trees struggling 
to move. But not one could stir. 



THE STORY OF THE PINE TREES 33 




' Ahmik sank down, too tired to talk 

I - 

j "Must they always stay as they are?" asked the 

animals. 

"Always," said Manabozho. "After this you will 
! usually find the pines in groups, and the cedars will 
often be on hilltops." 

"But, Manabozho," said Ahmik, "the other trees 
are fixed, too. Why should the oaks be unable to move? 
And the dear willows and beeches, who have been so 
good to us? " 

Manabozho's face grew sad. "My children," he 
said, "the worst part of selfishness is this: Other people 
are punished besides the one who sins." 

The animals felt very solemn. 

"The beeches and the willows are so good," repeated 
Ahmik. 

I 3 

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34 MANABOZHO 

"They shall have their reward," said Manabozho. 
''It is always a great happiness to those who are good to 
be able to help others. The good trees shall have this 
happiness. Whenever any one rubs the wood of the 
beech and the willow together, he shall make fire. They 
will always have the secret of fire." 

After that, whenever the animals wanted fire, they 
rubbed together beech and willow wood. And to this 
very day, these trees will give fire to the person who is 
patient enough to work a long time for it. 



HOW MANABOZHO WENT FISHING 

THE trees were not the only selfish ones in Mana- 
bozho's land. He had a great deal of trouble with 
Me-she-nah-ma-gwai, the king of the fishes. Manabozho 
had made him the king of the fishes because he promised 
to be a just ruler. But he was unkind to the little fishes. 
He ate them up whenever he wanted to, whether he was 
hungry or not. He chased them away from the beautiful 
spots in the sea where the seaweeds and colored shells 
were. 

He was a magician, and therefore he thought he was 
as strong as Manabozho was. His best friend was the 
White Serpent, the prince of the sea serpents. He also 
disliked Manabozho. The two thought that they could 
rule as they pleased. They said that if Manabozho 
objected, they would kill him. 

The Rabbit heard how the king of the fishes was 
treating the little fishes. He sent him word that he was 
to stop, but Me-she-nah-ma-gwai did not obey. 

"Very well," said Manabozho; ''I shall punish this 
ruler." 

Manabozho lived with his old grandmother who was 

35 



36 



MANABOZHO 



called Maja. He was very kind to her, and kept her 
well supplied with food. One day she said to him, 
" Manabozho, I want some oil. Can you get me some? 
I have not had any for a long time." 

''Certainly, Maja," he said. "Make me a fishing 
line of cedar bark while I build a canoe." 

Manabozho was so skillful that he soon had his 
canoe ready. His grandmother handed him the line of 
cedar bark. Then he went to Lake Superior to fish. 

He dropped his line into the water, and said these 

words to the king of the fishes: 

"King of the fishes, listen to me; 
I gave you the power to rule in the sea. 
You said you would always be kind and just, 
A ruler the smallest of fishes could trust. 
Yet you 've done to the little ones nothing but wrong, 
Because they are weak, and because you are strong. 
You refused when I told you the evil to mend, 
And to-day your bad ruling shall come to an end. 
You shall die, for you richly deserve such a fate. 
King of the fishes, take hold of my bait." 

The king of the fishes made no answer, so Mana- 
bozho said again, ''Do you hear me? Me-she-nah-ma- 
gwai, take hold of my bait." 

Then the king of the fishes said, "Manabozho 
troubles me. Some one must go on the line, or he will 
never go away. Trout, you take hold." 

The Trout did so, and Manabozho began to haul 



HOW MANABOZHO WENT FISHING 37 




Then Manabozho went to Lake Superior to fish ' 

in the line. But when he saw the Trout with the water 
gleaming on his dark scales, he frowned and said, "I 
do not want you on the line. Let go." 

So the Trout sank to the bottom of the sea, and 
Manabozho said again, ''King of the fishes, take hold 
of my bait." 

Then the king of the fishes said, ''Manabozho is 
tiring me with his commands. Sunfish, I order you to 
take his line." 

The great Sunfish did so, and the Rabbit drew him 
in. When he saw the golden scales of the Sunfish, Mana- 
bozho was angry. 

" Go," he said. " I will have no one but the king of 
the fishes." 

When he heard this, the king grew angry. He used 



38 



MANABOZHO 



his magical powers to make himself larger. He swelled 
and swelled till he became enormous. Then he sprang 
to the surface of the water. Manabozho just had a 
glimpse of the great body with fins as large as a hillside, 
and niouth as big as a cavern. Then the fish swallowed 
both him and the canoe. 

It was very dark inside the fish, but Manabozho 
was not afraid. He felt about in the canoe till he found 
his club. With this he struck at the heart of the fish. 
Me-she-nah-ma-gwai began at once to race through the 
water. 

Manabozho did not like the motion, so he struck at 
the heart of the fish again. Soon he knew that he had 
killed him, because the fish gave a great shudder and lay 
still. 

Then Manabozho began to crawl up to where he 
supposed the mouth of the fish was. But before he 
could reach it, he heard a tap-tapping on the body. It 
grew louder and louder. Soon a hole was made, through 
which rays of light came. Then he saw beaks making 
the hole larger. At last a gull put in his head. 

"Ah, my dear gulls," said Manabozho. ''It is you 
who are helping me to get free." 

The gulls pecked harder than ever, and soon made 
the hole very large. Then the Rabbit sprang out. He 
turned to the gulls and said, "For the future you shall 



HOW MANABOZHO WENT FISHING 39 

be called 'Kayosh' because you have been kind to me/' 
Kayosh means ''noble rescuers." 

Manabozho towed the big fish ashore, and then ran 
home to his grandmother. 

''Dear Maja," he said, ''if you will go down to the 
shore, you will find something to make oil of." 

Maja went down, and was amazed to see the mon- 
strous fish. She cut off as much of his flesh as she could 
carry, and put it in a kettle and boiled it. And soon she 
had plenty of rich yellow oil. 



MANABOZHO^S ADVENTURE WITH 
THE SEA SERPENT 



HE sea serpents were angry with Manabozho 



because he had killed the king of the fishes. So 
they determined to have revenge on him. They knew 
that he was very fond of his brother. And one day 
they coaxed the brother into the water. 

The Rabbit came home at night and asked for his 
brother. His grandmother, Maja, said that she did not 
know where he was. Manabozho became anxious and 
went out to look for him. 

Presently he saw Hega, the Buzzard, flying toward 

him. 

"Manabozho," said Hega, 'T have news for you." 

Hega was the doctor for all the animals. 

have just been visiting a sick serpent," she said. 
"And he told me bad news. The prince of the serpents 
has taken your brother prisoner. Perhaps he is dead 
by this time." 

Manabozho felt very sad to hear this. He went 
home to Maja, and when he told her the news she wept 
all night. 




MANABOZHO AND THE SEA SERPENT 41 




Manabozho saw Hega, the Buzzard, flying toward Mm 



"You told him to keep away from the water/* 
she said. ''If he had obeyed you he would be with 
us now.** 

The next morning Manabozho went down to Lake 
Superior. He peered into the water, but he could see 
nothing, as it was muddy. Then he noticed some ducks 
swimming about at some distance from shore. He 
changed himself into a brown leaf, and floated near them. 
He listened to what they said. 

''Oh," said one, ''the War Eagle has told me some 
bad news. The brother of our good Manabozho is dead. 
The prince of the sea serpents killed him. They have 
made a door curtain out of his skin." 

Manabozho floated quietly away. Then he changed 



42 



MANABOZHO 



himself back into his own form. He wept very much 
for his brother. After a while he met the Kingfisher. 

''Dear bird," he said, ''I cannot see very well, for 
my eyes are dim with weeping. Will you look into the 
water and tell me what you see?" 

The Kingfisher peered for a long time, and then he 
said, '*0h, my poor Manabozho, the sea horses are 
playing with your brother's bones." 

''I will collect the bones soon," said Manabozho. 
''You are a kind bird, though you tell me bad news." 

Then he painted the Kingfisher's feathers for him. 
That is why the Kingfisher has such beautiful colors. 

Manabozho sat upon the sand and thought. He 
had only limited power. He could not kill the sea ser- 
pents in their own home, the water. He would have 
to catch them upon the land. After a while he changed 
himself into a brown stump. 

In an hour or two, the lake, which had been 
rough, became perfectly calm. Then dark bodies rose 
to the surface of the water. They were black sea ser- 
pents. Hundreds of them crawled upon the beach. 
The last who came was the prince. He was entirely 
white. 

"Look," said the sea serpents. "See the brown 
stump. Let us dance around it." 
They began to crawl toward it. 



44 



MANABOZHO 



''Stop," said the prince; ''I never saw that stump 
before. Perhaps it has always been here, but I do not 
think so. It may be Manabozho. You know how great 
his power is on the land. If we dance around the stump 
and fall asleep, then if the stump is Manabozho he can 
easily revenge himself on us for killing his brother." 

The prince thought for a moment, and then chose 
a very large sea serpent. 

"Go," he said, ''and twist yourself as tightly as you 
can about the stump. Even Manabozho must cry out 
if your coils hurt him. If that stimip cries out, we shall 
know that it is the White Rabbit." 

The big creature did as he was commanded. The 
pressure of his folds was very great. Manabozho was 
badly crushed. He was just about to cry out, when the 
sea serpent loosed his hold. Eight other serpents were 
sent by the prince; but always, just as Manabozho felt 
that he could bear the pain no longer, they dropped to 
the ground. 

"No, it is not Manabozho," they said. 

Then they all coiled in a circle about their prince 
and talked. They rejoiced because they had killed 
Manabozho's brother. Then they began to dance. 
They twisted their long bodies into loops, and arches, 
and knots, and queer figures of all kinds. When they 
were tired, they lay down to sleep. 



MANABOZHO AND THE SEA SERPENT 45 

After they were all asleep, Manabozho changed 
himself into his own shape. He went up to the white 
prince, and gripped his body in his paws. Then the 
prince waked up. But his struggles did not help him. 
Manabozho quickly killed him. 

The other sea serpents woke up, but they were too 
frightened to act or speak. 

''You need not be afraid," Manabozho said to them. 
''You have well deserved punishment, but I shall show 
you mercy." 

They were so angry with him for kilHng their prince 
that they wanted to crush him to death, but they knew 
that they could not hurt him while he was on the land. 
Manabozho guessed their feelings, and he said: 

"It is not worth while to be angry. Whoever does 
wrong is punished in some way or other. You have 
deserved to lose your prince, because you helped him to 
break my laws and to kill my brother. Do not hurt any 
more of my people. If you do, I shall not show mercy 
a second time." 

Then Manabozho went away. He got his brother's 
bones, and he and Maja buried them sadly. 



MANABOZHO'S ADVENTURE WITH 
THE SHINING MAGICIAN 

THE land serpents were almost as angry as the sea 
serpents when they heard that Manabozho had 
killed the white prince. The other animals called these 
land serpents ''the Bright Old Inhabitants" because 
they were very beautiful and because they had been in 
the country for a long time. 

They were chiefly rattlesnakes of great size. They 
lived in rocky valleys crowned with cedar trees. When- 
ever they crawled about, the valleys flashed and gleamed 
with color. Some of the Bright Old Inhabitants were 
of the color of the Blue Heron. Others were crimson 
and yellow like maple leaves in autumn. Still others 
were like shining opals. 

They had all come from the shores of the Lake of 
the Woods. One day the Great Father who first made 
the world was sitting by this lake. He twisted some of 
the shining sand into ropes. Then he recollected that 
there were many animals who could walk, trot, run, and 
hop, but not one that could crawl. 

So he searched in the sand until he found some 

46 




The land serpents lived in rocky valleys crowned with cedar trees 



beautifully colored pebbles. He put two of these into 
one end of each of his sand ropes. Then he turned them 
into serpents and told them to crawl forever. 

The serpents were good at first, and then, like most 
of the other animals, they became very bad. After that, 
the flood was sent to punish them, and Manabozho was 
made the ruler. But although most of the animals tried 
to be good after the flood, the beautiful land serpents 
did not. 

They were cruel to the weaker animals, as the king 
of the fishes had been. They were also deceitful and vain. 
Whenever they could, they broke the good laws that 
Manabozho had made for the world. 



48 MANABOZHO . 

Their ruler was a magician, just as the king of the 
fishes had been. He was called the Shining Magician. 
The serpents thought that he was just as great as Mana- 
bozho. They expected that he would some day kill 
Manabozho and rule over all the earth. 

Manabozho heard of this. He decided not to wait 
till they attacked him, but to kill their ruler at once. 
He knew that this would frighten the other serpents and 
make them keep the laws he had made. 

He knew that they kept a nimiber of fiery serpents as 
sentinels outside their colony. So he made a kind of 
medicine called a charm, which had the power to put all 
animals to sleep. 

It had in it the skin of a wild cat; a vine which had 
never borne fruit ; the dry cone of a pine tree steeped in 
dew; the leaves of a mountain laurel; the claws of a tiger; 
the teeth of an alligator, and the ribs of a snail. All 
these he ground up to powder. Then he added water, 
which was dipped out of the lake with the shell of a 
butternut. 

Manabozho took this charm and approached the 
fiery serpents. They were gliding up and down a narrow 
passage which led into the chain of valleys where the 
colony lived. Manabozho threw a few drops of the 
charm over them. This made them unable to move, 
and in a moment he ran past them. 



MANABOZHO AND THE SHINING MAGICIAN 49 

Then he came to a wide lake in the middle of the 
first valley. It was called Pigiuwagtmiee, which means 
"pitch-water." It was ugly to look at, and it felt 
soft and gtmimy when Manabozho put his paw in it. 
He knew that he could not walk on it. 

He took his canoe, which he had carried with him, 
and rubbed it all over with some of the oil which Maja 
had made from the body of the king of the fishes. The 
oiled canoe slipped easily over the surface of the pitch- 
water, and soon Manabozho was at the other side. 

Here he could see the home of the Shining Magician, 
which was at the top of a hill. 

"Come here, Shining Magician," called Manabozho. 
"I am Manabozho, the Great White Rabbit. I am 
going to fight with you and kill you because you and 
your people have broken my laws." 

At this the Shining Magician laughed. He was 
quite siu-e that he could kill Manabozho. 

"Make ready your bow and arrows," shouted the 
Shining Magician. "I shall soon take them away from 
you and kill you." 

The two came close to each other. The Great White 
Rabbit shot well. But though arrow after arrow struck 
the Shining Magician, not one pierced his thick skin. 
He shot back at Manabozho rapidly. But Manabozho 
jimiped about so nimbly that he was not touched. 



50 MANABOZHO 

So the fight went on. Neither was hurt, and neither 
gained any advantage. But by and by Manabozho 
began to feel very tired. 

Just then Ma-Ma, the large Woodpecker, flew by. 
She lighted on a tree, and said to the Rabbit: ''Mana- 
bozho, there is only one place where you can hurt the 
Shining Magician. That is on the crown of his head." 

Mg,nabozho was glad to hear this, for he had only 
three arrows left. He shot one, and drew a little blood 
from the crown of his enemy's head. The second arrow 
went deeper, and the Shining Magician rolled over in 
fury. Then Manabozho shot an arrow just in the middle 
of his crown. And the great Shining Magician died. 

Then Manabozho called the Woodpecker to him. 
He took a little blood from the wound of the Shining 
Magician, and rubbed it on the tuft feathers of Ma-Ma. 

''You were a brave bird to help me," he said, "for 
the Shining Magician might have killed you as you were 
doing it. After this you shall always have a beautiful 
red head. The Indians will use your tuft feathers to 
ornament the stems of their pipes. And these tuft 
feathers shall always stand for bravery." 

The Woodpecker was well pleased and flew away 
happily. Then Manabozho went home, sure that it 
would be a long time before the land serpents would again 
break his laws. 



THE FIRST TRAVELS OF 
PAUPUKEWIS 

WHILE Manabozho was punishing the wicked 
animals, something else wicked was at work in 
his world. This was the tricky- spirit Paupukewis. 

Like Manabozho, he could change into any form he 
pleased. He did much damage. But Manabozho was 
so busy that he did not have time to punish Paupukewis 
until many weeks had passed. So the spirit became 
bolder and bolder. 

One day Paupukewis decided to go traveling. As 
he was choosing his way, he saw old Gray Wolf and his 
six sons trotting along the shores of Lake Michigan. 
Paupukewis hailed them. 

"I want to go with you," he said. 
Gray Wolf was not very well pleased to meet him. 
He knew the trickiness of Paupukewis. He was not 
afraid of him, because he was a magician; but he disHked 
unpleasant company. He waited, however, until Pau- 
pukewis came up. 

''Where are you going, Gray Wolf?" asked Pau- 
pukewis. 

51 



52 MANABOZHO 

"We are going to the place where we can get the 
most game," answered Gray Wolf. 

Ah, hunting is just what I want to do," said Paupu- 
kewis. ''Will you change me into a wolf?" 

This the Gray Wolf did. 

"Oh," Paupukewis said, ''I am only the same size 
as you are. Make me a little larger." 

The Gray Wolf smiled, and granted the request. 
"Larger still, larger still," said Paupukewis. 
So the Gray Wolf made him a tremendous size. 
"That will do," said Paupukewis. 
Then he looked at his tail. 

"Oh, do make my tail a little longer and more 
bushy," he begged. 

The Gray Wolf did so, and Paupukewis was -satis- 
fied. Then all eight of them began running along a 
ravine. After a while they fell in with the tracks of 
a moose. The sons of the Gray Wolf at once began 
to hurry. Their father and Paupukewis followed more 
slowly. 

"Paupukewis," said the Gray Wolf, "which of my 
sons do you think is the fastest? Can you tell by the 
leaps they take?'* 

Paupukewis laughed scornfully. 

"What a silly question," he replied. "The one 
that takes the longest jumps is the fastest, of course." 



THE FIRST TRAVELS OF PAUPUKEWIS 53 



"You are mistaken," said Gray Wolf. "The son 
you speak of makes a good start, but he will be the first 
to tire out. He is not saving his strength. Some of 
those behind him will reach the game first. Do not 
make hasty judgments, Paupukewis." 

Paupukewis muttered. He did not want any good 
advice. The Gray Wolf took no notice of his rudeness, 
and they trotted on silently. 

After a time they reached the sons, who had game 
placed ready for them. 

"We have eaten ours, father," they said, " so we shall 
go on and find more game to take home." 

"Go, then," said Gray Wolf; and the six trotted ofE. 

The Gray Wolf set a piece of game before Paupu- 
kewis. Just as he was about to eat it, the Gray Wolf 
changed it into a dog-skin. 

"Oh," said Paupukewis, "how am I to eat a dirty 
dog-skin?" 

"It is not a dog-skin. It is a string of pearls," 
said Gray Wolf. 

Paupiikewis looked down, and sure enough, at his 
feet was a string of pearls. 

The Wolf changed the game into one form after 
another. Paupukewis began to think he would never 
get anything to eat. He said this, and then the. Gray 
Wolf remarked: "Since you think you are very clever. 



54 



MANABOZHO 




Paupukewis looked down, and sure enough, at his feet was a string of pearls 



and since you scorn my good advice, why do you not 
prove your worth? Why do you not find some food for 
yourself?" 

Paupukewis 's pride was stirred. 

"I can hunt as well as your six children," he shouted. 

Then he jumped up and ran after the young wolves. 
The Gray Wolf smiled wisely. He knew that those who 
boast a great deal often really do very little. 

Paupukewis could not find any game. He caught 
up to the brothers and saw them picking moose bones. 
The young wolves were kind, and set food before him. 
But at that moment up came the Gray Wolf. He 
enchanted the food. It looked like nothing but a white 
thigh bone. 



THE FIRST TRAVELS OF PAUPUKEWIS 55 



Paupukewis was amazed. His pride all left. him. 
The Gray Wolf watched him for a time in silence. Then 
he said: ''Come here, Paupukewis." 

Paupukewis obeyed, and then the Gray Wolf dis- 
enchanted the food. 

"At last it is real game," cried Paupukewis, and he 
hastily began to eat it. 

Then the Gray Wolf said: "Paupukewis, try to 
remember that it is not a long tail which makes a good 
hunter." 

Paupukewis felt a little bit ashamed. But he was 
such a flippant character that a reproof did not have 
much effect on him. He soon gobbled up his food and 
did not even thank the old Wolf. 



THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF 
PAUPUKEWIS AND THE WOLVES 

PAUPUKEWIS stayed with the wolves a long time. 
They did all the hunting, so he found it very 
easy to live. As winter came on, the young wolves 
hunted alone. 

"Stay at home, dear father," they said to the Gray 
Wolf. ''You must let us work for you while the weather 
is cold." 

Paupukewis sat idle, but the Gray Wolf spent his 
time cracking the large bones of moose into smaller 
pieces. He intended to pave the floor of his house with 
them. He noticed that sometimes the pieces fell near 
Paupukewis; so he said: "Paupukewis, I am going to 
make very fine splinters of this bone. So cover up your 
head in case a piece should fall into your eye." 

Paupukewis did so. But he was so tricky himself 
that he thought the old Gray Wolf was going to hurt 
him in some way. So he kept one eye uncovered, and 
watched. The Gray Wolf cracked away busily, not 
looking at his guest. At last a splinter flew into the 
eye of Paupukewis. 

56 



PAUPUKEWIS AND THE WOLVES 57 




Paupukewis sat idle, but Gray Wolf spent his time cracking moose hones 



''Oh, you wretch," he cried; ''why did you hurt 
my eye?" 

"You must have been looking, Paupukewis, or you 
woiild not have been hurt," said Gray Wolf. 

"I was not looking," said Paupukewis, 

The old Gray Wolf shook his head slowly and 
gravely ; It seemed to him a very wicked thing to tell 
such a falsehood. 

Paupukewis was very angry. When the Gray Wolf 
lay down by the fire to sleep, he took the big bone of a 
moose, and crept up softly to him. Then he hit his host 
a blow on the head. 

The poor Gray Wolf sprang to his feet, and then 
sank weakly on the floor. 



MANABOZHO 



''Why, why did you strike me?" he asked. 

"Strike you?" said Paupukewis. "You are mis- 
taken. You must have been looking." 

Then Paupukewis ran ofE laughing. 

By this time the six sons came home. They were 
very angry at what had happened. They wanted to 
turn Paupukewis out of doors. But the old Wolf would 
not allow that. 

"No," he said; "he is our guest." 

"But he must be punished in some way," said the 

sons. 

They decided that Paupukewis should be made to 
do his own hunting. So when he came in, expecting to 
have his dinner as usual, he was told that he must find, 
his own game. Out he went, and the six sons followed 
him to see what he would do. 

Paupukewis had good luck. He soon found a fat 
moose. He was very hungry and sat down to eat. But 
he did not know where to begin. So he began to talk 
to himself in a silly way. 

"Shall I begin at the head?" he said. "No, for 
if I do the animals will laugh and say, * He ate the moose 
backward.' " 

Then he sat down by the side of the moose. 

"No," he said; "if I begin to bite him here, they 
will say, 'He ate the moose sideways.' " 



PAUPUKEWIS AND THE WOLVES 59 




pilkewis ate the moose for- Paupukewis soon found a fat moose 

ward.' But I do not care. I must begin somewhere." 



He took a bite, but at that moment the tree under 
which he sat began to creak. Two of its branches were 
rubbing against each other. 

''Stop, stop," said Paupukewis. "I cannot eat 
while you make such a noise." 

The tree stopped for a moment, and then the two 
branches began rubbing again. 

"You must stop," said Paupukewis angrily. 

He left his food, and climbed into the tree. Then 



6o 



MANABOZHO 



he took hold of the two branches, meaning to tear them 
off. But the two branches curled themselves about him 
so that he could not move. 

At that moment the six young wolves came up. 
To pimish Paupukewis they ate his moose. Paupukewis 
watched them, imable to stir. At night there was a 
heavy storm of wind and the two branches were torn 
apart. Then Paup\ikewis climbed down. He decided 
that he was tired of the wolves. So he started off alone. 



HOW PAUPUKEWIS GOT HIS 
WINTER FOOD 

AFTER he left the wolves, Paupukewis decided that 
he must lay in a stock of food for the winter. It 
was almost December, and he had nothing to eat. 

First of all, he went fishing. He caught a fish of 
such great size that the fat and oil he obtained from it 
made a small lake. Then, pretending great friendliness, 
Paupukewis invited all the animals to a banquet on the 
oil lake. The animals came in the order of their fatness. 
The Bear at once plunged into the lake, wallowing in the 
oil and fat. Then came the Opossum and the Deer. 
The Moose and Bison advanced more slowly. The 
Hare and the Marten came last. 

By the time the fowls and birds arrived, the fat and 

oil were all gone. 

''Never mind," said Paupukewis. ''We can have 
a dance. I will play for you on my drtmi." 

The large animals were not interested in the dance. 
Besides, they were sleepy from the fat they had eaten 
and the oil they had drunk. So they went home. But 
the fowls were pleased. They liked to dance, and they 

6l 



62 



MANABOZHO 



liked drum music. The birds, however, decided not to 
stay. 

The fowls made a circle about Pauptikewis and began 
to dance. 

"Shut your eyes, and you will like it better," said 
Pauptikewis. ''Shut your eyes, and I will sing to you." 
The fowls shut their eyes, and he sang: 

**Keep your eyes shut, brothers, tight, tight, tight; 
Shut them as if it were night, night, night; 
Let each bend his neck; drop his head, head, head; 
The first one that peeps, his eyes shall be red." 

The dancers thought it was great fun, and whirled 
away gayly. Paupukewis sang loudly, and beat his 
drimi. Then he opened a big bag that hung over his 
shoulder. As the dancers circled round him, he seized a 
fat goose by its bended neck. The goose said, "Honk, 
honk"; but Paupukewis played and sang louder than 
ever to drown the cries. 

He killed fowl after fowl in this way till his bag was 
nearly full. If ever a fowl grew tired dancing he would 
say, "How beautifully you are doing! Go on; go on!" 

They were flattered and kept on dancing. They 
were so dizzy that they failed to notice how small the 
circle was getting. But at last the Turkey opened his 
eyes to see if the dance was ever going to end. His eyes 
at once became red and have been red ever since. 



HOW PAUPUKEWIS GOT HIS WINTER FOOD 63 




The fowls were flattered, and kept on dancing 



The poor Turkey was so amazed at the trickery 
of Paupukewis that he. could not say a word. He just 
continued stupidly dancing, and watching Paupukewis 
kill his companions. 

The little Diver Duck at last became suspicious. 
She felt the great gap on each side of her, where two 
geese had been. She thought it was strange that she 
should have so much more room to dance in than she 
had had in the beginning. So she opened one eye. 

As soon as she saw what Paupukewis was doing, she 
cried: ''Open your eyes, quick, quick! Paupukewis is 
killing us. 

Then she ran for the lake. Paupukewis, whose bag 
was not quite full, was very angry. He ran after the 
Duck and kicked her just as she was getting into the 



64 MANABOZHO 

water. That is why the back of the Diver Duck is flat, 
and her legs are straightened out backward, so that she 
can hardly walk, and her tail feathers are few. 

The poor Diver felt very bad, but all the other ducks 
comforted her, and said that Manabozho would surely 
recompense her in some way. And they told her that 
it was a good deed to have saved a few fowls from 
Paupukewis. 

Meanwhile Paupukewis was laughing over his trick. 

''Now I have plenty of food for the winter," he 
said. "I can kill anybody. I beheve I could have 
killed Manabozho if he had come to my banquet and 
danced." 



THE ADVENTURE OF PAUPUKEWIS 
WITH THE BEAVERS AND BRANTS 



FTER a time Paupiikewis thought he would Hke 



to go traveling again. But this time he wanted 
to wear fine ornaments. He saw a beautiful Otter on 
the shores of an island. 

" Ha ! Ha ! " he laughed. ' ' I shall kill her and make 
a pouch of her fine skin." 

He shot an arrow at the Otter, and she at once fell 
dead. Paupukewis skinned her. Then he put the 
carcass at one side. He hid behind a rock and waited. 
He thought that the great Eagle might come after the 
carcass. If he did, Paupukewis would kill him and 
take his feathers for decoration. 

He waited a long time. Then he heard a rushing 
noise in the air. The Eagle swooped down and fell on 
the Otter's carcass. He rose again carrying the body 
in his claws. As he did so, Paupukewis shot. The 
arrow passed under the wings of the bird, and the great 
creature at once fell. Paupukewis uttered a cry of joy. 
He skinned the Eagle and put the feathers on his head. 
''How beautiful I look," he said; "and how angry 

5 65 




66 



MANABOZHO 



Manabozho will be when he finds out that I have killed 
his friends the Otter and the Eagle." 

He went down to the nearest water to see his reflec- 
tion. It was Lake Nipissing, where Ahmik the Beaver 
lived. Presently he saw one of the beaver family peeping 
out of the water at him. 

"My friend," said Paupukewis, "I should like to 
become a beaver. Can you make me one? You see 
how beautiful I am." 

"Ahmik is away, but I will ask the others what to 
do," said the Beaver. Soon he came back with some 
other beavers. 

"Are not my decorations beautiful?" said Paupu- 
kewis, showing his pouch and the Eagle's feathers. 

Then he glared fiercely at the beavers. 

"Perhaps you think I am not great enough to be 
your chief," he said angrily. 

"Yes, yes, you are great enough to be our chief," 
they said, for they felt afraid of him. "Just He down, 
and we will make you a beaver." 

Paupukewis did so, and they changed him to one of 
themselves. 

"I want to be larger," he said angrily. "I want 
to be larger than any of you." 

"But if we make you any larger," they said, "you 
cannot get into your house. We have a beautiful house 



68 



MANABOZHO 



which you may have. As soon as you crawl into it, we 
will make you ten times as large as you are." 

This satisfied Paupukewis. He felt very proud when 
they made him ten times larger than, the largest of them. 
He lay for many days in the house, sending them on 
errands for him. 

One day they all came swimming to his door, saying, 
''Save yourself, save yourself, the Indian hunters are 
coming!" 

They all hurried away. Paupukewis found that he 
could not get out of the Httle door of his house. He 
called to them to come back and make him smaller, but 
no one returned. 

Soon the hunters broke into his house. "Oh, see 
the wonderful beaver," they cried. "We must kill him 
at once." 

Then they beat in his head with poles. But though 
the beaver body died, Paupukewis, being a spirit, escaped. 
Nothing but. a frightful storm could kill him. 

Paupukewis had felt a little tired of being under 
water. As he was leaving the lake, he saw a flock of 
brants on the shore. He joined them, saying, "You 
have an easy life. It must be pleasant to fly about in 
the air. Make me a brant." 

The brants at once did so. 



PAUPUKEWIS AND THE BEAVERS AND BRANTS 69 




Soon the Indian hunters broke into the house of Paupukewis 



They made him so large that they were astonished 
themselves. 

''You must be our leader," they said. 

"Oh, that is too much trouble," replied lazy Pau- 
pukewis. "I shall fly behind you." 

"Very well," they said. "We have one piece of 
advice to give you. In flying, you must never look down. 
If you do, something evil will happen to you." 

"I don't want to look down," said Paupukewis. 

Soon they all rose in the air, flying very fast to the 
south. Paupukewis enjoyed the swift motion. By and 
by he became so bold that he would swoop up and down, 
and dart forward and backward, instead of taking a 



70 



MANABOZHO 



straight course. But for a long time he did not look 
downward. " . 

One day as they were passing an Indian village, 
they heard a great shout. The Indian hunters were 
looking at them, and were amazed at the size of Paupu- 
kewis. He felt so vain that he could not help wanting 
to watch them as they admired him. So he looked down. 

As soon as he brought in his neck and stretched it 
down to look, his tail was caught by the wind and he was 
blown over and over. He tried to right himself, but 
could not. 

Down and down he went until he fell into a hollow 
tree. He could not move, and for days he suffered the 
pain of starvation there. Then his brant body died, 
and his spirit was free. So off he started again to do as 
much harm as he could. 



THE LAST ADVENTURE OF 
PAUPUKEWIS 

PAUPUKEWIS believed that he was safe from the 
anger of Manabozho. He reasoned that if Mana- 
bozho had been able to kill him, he would already have 
done so. One day he decided that he wotild play a trick 
upon the Great White Rabbit. 

He was walking on the plain where stood the home 
of Manabozho and Maja. Over this plain a great many 
of Manabozho's favorite birds were flying. A hill was 
near the plain, and Paupukewis climbed to the top of 
this, and began shooting down at the birds. 

One by one the birds fell to the groimd, dead. One 
of those who had not yet been shot flew to Manabozho. 

"Manabozho, my father,'* he cried, **the wicked 
Paupukewis is killing us." 

Manabozho was very tired. He had just returned 
from his adventure with the Shining Magician. But 
when he heard these words he forgot his weariness. He 
ran out of his house, and looked up at Paupukewis, who 
was shooting and laughing as the birds died. 

"Ah, Paupukewis," said Manabozho, "I had not 

71 



72 



MANABOZHO 




Paupukewis climbed to the top 

going to punish you. The of the Mil 



earth is not too large for me to find you on it. You 
shall never escape me." 

Off ran Paupukewis, and Manabozho ran after 
him. Paupukewis was sure that he could get away. 
So he ran laughing over the hills and prairies. But he 
saw that Manabozho was gaining on him. 

He stopped by a pine tree, tore it in pieces, and 
then ran on. When Manabozho reached the tree, it 
spoke to him: 



THE LAST ADVENTURE OF PAUPUKEWIS 73 

''Great Manabozho," it said, "Paupukewis has 
killed me. Will you give me my life again?" 

Manabozho, ever merciful, took time to gather the 
scattered leaves and branches and make them into a 
tree again. Paupukewis, seeing that he could gain time 
by his trick, damaged several other trees. Manabozho 
always restored what the spirit destroyed. 

Still Manabozho gained on Paupukewis. So Pau- 
pukewis jtimped on the back of an Elk who was gallop- 
ing westward. In this way, he made great progress. 
But even then Manabozho went faster than the Elk. 
Then Paupukewis broke in pieces a big sandstone rock. 
The foundation of the rock cried to Manabozho: "Oh, 
Manabozho, I was so beautiful and happy, and Paupu- 
kewis has spoiled me. Will you not make me beautiful 
again?" 

Manabozho did so. Meanwhile, Paupukewis ran 
on. Manabozho came so near that he stretched out 
his hand to catch the spirit. But Paupukewis jimiped 
to one side, and at the same time raised a great cloud 
of dust and leaves. In the confusion, Paupukewis 
escaped. 

He rushed into a hollow tree, and changed himself 
into a serpent. . Then he crept out by the roots of 
the tree, just as Manabozho began to search among the 
branches. 



74 MANABOZHO 

Soon Manabozho saw Paupukewis gliding up to a 
dark rock. The spirit of the rock opened it, and let in 
Paupukewis. 

Manabozho thundered at the rock. "Spirit of the 
rock, answer me!" he said. 

"I am here, Manabozho," answered the spirit of 
the rock. 

order you to send out to me Paupukewis, who 
has killed many of my people and must die." 

Manabozho," said the spirit of the rock, trembling, 
I did not know Paupukewis had wronged any one when 
I received him. But now that I have taken him as my 
guest, I must protect him; as you know, I cannot turn 
him out." 

Manabozho was silent. Paupukewis saw him walk- 
ing away, and laughed. But the spirit of the rock 
said: ''Foolish Paupukewis, do you not know that he 
is greater than both of us? He is merely delaying his 
punishment." 

The day passed. At night, a storm came on. The 
great Thunder Bird rushed into the sky, flapped his 
wings, and winked yellow lightning from his eyes. The 
noise grew louder and louder. At last even Paupukewis 
was afraid. He knew that, though he was a spirit, 
storms were dangerous to him. 

All at once there came a frightful crash. The rock 




Thore came a frightful crash and the rock split in pieces 

split in pieces, and, under the ruins, Paupukewis the 
tricky spirit was crushed to death. The spirit of the 
rock escaped. 

''I do not Hke to kill any one," said Manabozho to 
him. "But Paupukewis deserved death. I have pro- 
tected you, because you did wrong unknowingly. But 
any one who does wrong either knowingly or unknowingly 
must suffer. That is the law. And so I have destroyed 
your beautiful rock dwelling." 

Then Manabozho went home. And he called all his 
birds around him and told them that they need never 
fear Paupukewis again. 



I 
I 
I 



THE STORY OF THE RACCOON AND 
THE CRAWFISH 

ICTINKE, the Raccoon, was a tricky animal. He 
liked many kinds of food and all he could get of 
each kind. But he was particularly fond of crawfish. 

He used to wander by the side of the water looking 
for crawfish. At first they had no fear of him. They 
would even play by the shore within a few inches of him. 
But after a while they saw that Ictinke always had a 
pile of crawfish shells about him. After that, they kept 
away from him. 

He used to call to them and ask them why they 
would have nothing to do with him. Once a young 
female crawfish answered him, "You are wicked. You 
eat us." 

''What is that, my dear?" he said to her. "I can- 
not hear what you say." 

She went a little closer, and began to weep, saying, 
''You have eaten a great many of my friends." 

The Raccoon stuck out his claws toward her. 

"Just come a little closer, my child," he said; 'T 
want to hear every word you say." 

76 




The Raccoon shick out his claivs toivard the Crawfish 



; THE RACCOON AND THE CRAWFISH 77 c^. 

j The little crawfish went nearer, but her parents 

! pulled her back. 

i "Foolish child," they cried; '4f you go any nearer 

i he will snatch you with those wicked claws." 

: Ictinke began to think that he would never get any 

more crawfish to eat. He thought and thought for a 

long time, and at last he found a plan which he believed 

would bring him a dinner. 
I He knew that the crawfish liked to feed on worms. 

I So he found a large quantity of old wood which was full 
' of worms. He stuffed it in his mouth and ears, and 
I powdered it all over his body. Then he crept down to 

the water's edge, and lay there pretending that he was 

dead. 

An old crawfish came up out of the water. He saw 
the Raccoon lying there, with the water flowing over 
his claws. Then he came a little closer. He felt sure 
that Ictinke was dead. So he ventured to crawl over 
his body. The Raccoon did not stir. Then the crawfish 
began to eat the worms, crying, "Come, come, brothers 
and sisters and friends. Ictinke is dead. Let us eat 
him up.'* 

Hundreds of crawfish came out of the water and 
crowded about their old enemy. Suddenly up sprang 
the Raccoon. The crawfish were too frightened to 
j move, and in a few minutes he had killed them all. 

i 
I 

i 



78 



MANABOZHO 



Then he slowly ate them. He had just eaten the 
last one, when he heard a sobbing close by. He looked 
up, and there was the young crawfish whom he had once 
tried to catch. She stood before him, carrying her 
little sister on her back. 

"You wicked monster," she said, weeping. *'You 
have killed all my family except this little baby and me. 
My little sister and I are alone in the world. As you 
have eaten our parents and friends, eat us up, too." 

She boldly came up to the Raccoon's mouth. 

"Kill us quickly," she said. 

Ictinke felt a little ashamed of himself. And he 
admired her for being so brave. But he did not want 
her to know it, so he said: "Go away, child; you are 
too little and thin for me to eat. I have just been feed- 
ing on all the large and fat crawfish. I would not stoop 
to eat you." 

Just at this moment, Manabozho came up. His 
white fur bristled, and his eyes flashed with anger. The 
Raccoon trembled and tried to hide the crawfish shells. 
But Manabozho knew well what he had been doing. 

"You are a thief," he said to the Raccoon. "I 
gave you food of your own, and told you not to touch 
the animals in the water. But you stole them. And you 
have been unmerciful to them. You shall never eat 
crawfish again. Go! From this day forward, live in the 



THE RACCOON AND THE CRAWFISH 79 



trees. You shall find it hard to get any food, and dogs 
shall chase you. Go!" 

Ictinke slunk away. Then Manabozho took up the 
little crawfish and her sister, and said to them gently, 
''Do not weep, my children. All your family are not 
gone. A few of your brothers and sisters are asleep by 
the side of a rock. You shall find them soon. After 
this, hide under the stones whenever you see or hear an 
enemy coming. And hereafter, you shall be the play- 
things for little girls and boys." 

He set them down in the water, and they swam away. 



THE STORY OF THE HOPPER 

THE animals roamed wherever they pleased over the 
land. They wandered through the forests and 
climbed the mountains. They went into all the caves 
except one. That one Manabozho told them not to 
enter. 

"What is inside, Manabozho?" asked the animals. 

''I do not mind telling you, my children," said 
Manabozho. "It is a kind of weed called tobacco. 
Tobacco is not good for you. I do not want any of you 
ever to touch it." 

All the animals trusted Manabozho and obeyed 
him, except one. He was a great animal all green and 
black, called the Hopper. His eyes were bright and keen. 
He had silky wings, and fine long legs. It pleased him 
to jump farther than any of the other animals. He 
began to think he was larger than any of them. 

One day he said to himself: "Of course, none of 
the other animals should touch the tobacco. But I 
ought to, because I am so great. I want to see what 
this weed looks like." 

So he hopped up and down before the cave. The 

80 



THE STORY OF THE HOPPER 8i 




The Hopper was a great animal all green and black 



entrance was not hidden in any way, for Manabozho 
trusted to the honor of his animals. 

''I know I am disloyal," said the Hopper. ''I 
know that I ought not to disobey Manabozho. But it 
is not as wrong in me to do this as if I were a little 
animal. How great I am! I almost think I could 
hop up into the sky. By rights I ought to be a 
ruler with Manabozho." 

He made a good many reasons for disobeying Mana- 
bozho. And at last he went into the mouth of the cave. 
It was dark inside, and at first he could see nothing. 
After a while he saw that the place was full of piles of 
brown, strong-smelling lea.ves. The Hopper went closer 
and closer. At last he snatched a mouthful of them. 

6 



82 



MANABOZHO 



At that moment he heard a noise hke thunder. It 
was the voice of Manabozho, who was running down 
the hill toward the cavern. 

''Disobedient Hopper!" cried Manabozho; ''did you 
think I did not know what you are doing? Run! Run! 
I am following to punish you." 

The Hopper rushed out of the cavern, and began to 
make great leaps through the forest. At first he jimiped 
over the trees; then only as high as the lower branches. 
He saw that he was growing smaller and smaller. 

"Manabozho, Manabozho!" he cried; "do not make 
me little, I beg you ! I was so happy when I was large. 
I am punished enough. Manabozho, forgive me." 

"I forgive you," said Manabozho, "but you must 
pay for your disobedience." 

The poor Hopper was now no larger than a bird. 

"Oh, good Manabozho, stop!" he cried. "I am 
no larger than a sparrow." 

"You shall never leap higher than the grass," said 
Manabozho. 

And at that moment the disobedient creature turned 
' into the animal we know as the grasshopper. 

"You may keep the mouthful of tobacco for which 
you have paid so dearly," said Manabozho. "But you 
must always give it up when you are asked for it. Some 
time in the future there will be little children on the 



84 



MANABOZHO 



earth. They will catch you and say, 'Grasshopper, 
grasshopper, give me tobacco.' Then you must obey." 

The poor Grasshopper felt very sad. There he stood 
with the brown tobacco juice on his mouth, and trembled 
as Manabozho spoke. 

"Moreover," went on Manabozho, "you shall never 
help mankind. You will always be more or less harmful 
to crops. I can think of no punishment worse than that 
of being useless." 



THE DEEDS OF THE FOX 

THE Fox was almost as troublesome as Paupukewis. 
He was always playing sly tricks. For example, 
the Wolf was very proud of his tail. Once- when he 
was asleep, the Fox shortened it. He also shortened 
his head and body. 

However, the Wolf paid him back. When the Fox 
fell asleep, the Wolf lengthened his head and tail and 
body. After that the ^ two were bitter enemies. 

The geese were animals whom the Fox also treated 
badly. He pretended to be friends with them. But 
whenever he could, he secretly killed and ate them. 
He wanted them to show him how to fly, and how to 
say, ''Honk, honk." 

They taught him how to fly. But they told him 
that he must fly with his eyes shut. If ever he opened 
them, he would lose 'his power to fly. For many days, 
whenever he was flying, the Fox obeyed them. Once, 
however, he thought he saw some little glints of light 
dancing in front of him. He opened his eyes, and imme- 
diately began falling. 

The little glints of light were fireflies, and he fell 

85 



86 



MANABOZHO 



into their camp. Around it was a high wall. He saw 
no gate of any sort. 

"Oh! beautiful Fox,", said the little fireflies, flying 
about him. ''You must stay with us always." 

No, no," he said. ''I must go home to my family. 
Tell me how to get out, and I will give you my necklace 
of juniper berries." 

''We do not want it," they said, "and we do want 
you to stay with us." 

The Fox said nothing more, but he felt rather dis- 
heartened. Presently the Hawk and the Brown Heron 
flew down to him. He told them his trouble. 

"You can get out very easily," they said. "Just 
ask the cedar tree by the wall to stoop down and lift 
you over. He will be glad to do it." 

But as soon as the Fox tried to get near the cedar, 
a thousand little fireflies flew in front of him. 

"Stay in the center of our camp, beautiful Fox," 
they said. "You look better sitting there." 

Then the Fox thought of a plan. He said that he 
would give a ball for the fireflies. They were pleased to 
hear this. They were still more pleased when he gave 
them some colored earth with which to paint their 
bodies. Then he made a drimi of some cedar bark they 
gave him, and marched about, playing and singing. All 
the fireflies flew after him, in long rows. They made a 



THE DEEDS OF THE FOX 



87 




Presently the Hawk and the Brown Heron flew down 



wonderful procession. The Fox marched in a circle that 
grew large and larger, coming nearer and nearer the 
cedar tree. Suddenly he threw away his drum, rushed to 
the cedar tree, and said, Cedar, lift me over, please." 

At once the tree bent down its branches, and in a 
moment the Fox was over the wall. 

It was morning .by this time, and he was very 
hungry. He came near some bee hives and trotted up 
quickly. He thought that he would like some honey for 
breakfast; but there sat Manabozho, teaching lessons to 
the bees. They all sat inside their hives, and he could 
hear them buzz-buzzing over their work. 

The Fox saw that he could not steal any honey as 
long as the Rabbit was there. 



88 



MANABOZHO 



"Let me teach them, my good friend," he said to 
Manabozho. ''I feel as if I should make a kind teacher." 
Manabozho smiled to himself. 

''Very well," he said. ''I must go home now to 
get something to eat. I am willing to leave you in my 
place." 

''What shall I do when it is their breakfast time?" 
asked the sly Fox. 

The Rabbit looked at him keenly, and then said: 
' ' A good way to tell them that it is breakfast time is to 
strike on the hives with a club." 

No sooner had Manabozho gone away, than the 
Fox struck on the hives with a heavy stick. He thought, 
that the bees would come out and fly away to the clover 
blossoms for breakfast. Then he would steal the honey 
in the hives. 

To his surprise, they all flew on him and stung him 
nearly to death. 

"Buzz, buzz!" they said. "How dare you disturb 

us!" 

The Fox ran away howling. Soon he overtook 
Manabozho, who said to him, "That is what you get 
for being so unkind and greedy. Take care that a worse 
punishment does not befall you." 



HOW THE FOX WAS PUNISHED 

AFTER the Fox had been stung, he behaved properly 
until the winter. Then one day when he was very 
hungry, instead of asking for food, he stole a large pile 
of fish that belonged to some animal. Just as he walked 
off after eating it, he met Moo-in, the Bear. 

Now, the Bear was a good animal, but he believed 
everything he heard. He said to the Fox: ''You have 
been eating fish. Wih you tell me how to get some?" 

''Come with me," answered the Fox. "And I will 
show you where I have just fished up several basketfuls." 

The Bear trotted after the Fox, who led him out 
on the ice. He pointed to a hole that had been made 
in the ice. 

"Just put your tail in there, old fellow," he said, 
"and soon you will feel the fish pull it. Then you can 
haul them out by the dozen." 

So the Bear dropped in his tail, and waited for half 
an hour. At the end of this time he moved, and the 
movement stirred his tail. 

"Shah I lift out my tail?" he asked the Fox. "I 
felt something pull it." 

89 



90 



MANABOZHO 



''No, no," said the Fox. "Wait a little longer. 
And don't move about, or you will frighten the fish 
away/' 

The Bear waited all day long. Then he was so cold 
and stiff that he decided not to sit there another moment. 
The Fox had been rtmning about to keep himself warm, 
but the poor Bear had not stirred. 

''Fox," he said. "I believe you have been deceiv- 
ing me. I shall not fish any longer." 

"Very well," said the Fox. "Pull up your tail." 
And he ran away laughing. 

The Bear pulled at his tail again and again. It was 
frozen fast to the ice. Soon in his struggles he broke 
it off short. And that is why all bears have short tails. 

The poor Bear suffered a good deal. And he was 
very angry with the Fox for playing such a mean trick 
on him. At last he decided that the Fox must fight 
with him. So he sent a message to the Fox, telling 
him this, and saying that he would choose the Wolf 
and the Pig to help him. 

How the Fox laughed when he received the message! 
He was sure that he could outwit the Bear. He chose 
a Dog and a Yellow Cat to help him. He sent word to 
the Bear that he would meet him under the biggest pine 
tree in the forest. 

Then he said to the Yellow Cat, "Go ahead, my 



HOW THE FOX WAS PUNISHED 



91 




"Pull up your tail," said the Fox. And he ran away laughing 



friend, and the Dog and I shall follow after. Carry 
your yellow tail high so that the Bear will think it is a 
club and be afraid." 

The Bear, meanwhile, went at once to the pine 
tree, accompanied by the Pig. At the last moment the 
Wolf had refused to go. The Bear and the Pig sat at 
the foot of the tree. Presently the Pig rolled under some 
brush wood, and went to sleep. The Bear was very 
nervous, and kept pacing up and down, wondering when 
the Fox would come. 

At last he thought he would climb the tree to see if 
the Fox was anywhere in sight. After a time he saw 
the tail of the Yellow Cat. 



92 



MANABOZHO 



''Oh, what a fierce-looking club the Yellow Cat is 
carrying!" he said. 

He watched the Cat till she reached the foot of the 
tree. She caught sight of the nose of the Pig and thought 
it was a mouse. In a moment she pounced upon it. 
The Pig squealed, and rose to his feet. He ran angrily 
toward her, and she was very much frightened. 

In the midst of the grunting and mewing, the Bear 
in his excitement fell out of the tree. He hurt himself 
severely, much to the amusement of the Fox, who had 
by this time arrived. 

''You stupid animal," said the Fox, "how do you 
expect ever to win in a fight if you cannot even keep your 
balance in a tree?" 

The poor Bear only groaned. 

The Fox went away, accompanied by the Dog and 
the Yellow Cat. Soon he smelled some buffalo meat. 
He wanted to have it all to himself, so he said to his 
companions, "Run home, my dears; I will join you later 
on in the day." 

They obediently went on, while he followed the scent 
of the food. Soon he came in sight of the Porcupine, 
who was eating a great heap of buffalo rib meat. 

The Porcupine saw him coming, and scrambled up 
into a tree, carrying her meat with her. She was very 
angry with him, for the Bear was a great friend of hers, 



HOW THE FOX WAS PUNISHED 93 

and some little birds had just flown past, and had told 
her what he had done to the poor Bear. 

''Give me your meat, my child," said the Fox, when 
he reached the foot of the tree. 

''Come and take it," said the Porcupine. "You 
made fun of the Bear because he could not keep his 
balance in a tree. Now show me how well you can 
climb one." 

But a fox cannot climb trees. So he sat below the 
Porcupine, begging her to throw him the meat. 

Then the Porcupine said: "Very well, Fox, you 
shall have my meat. All I ask is that you lie down till 
I prepare it. Give me your solemn promise not to eat 
till I tell you all is ready." 

The Fox promised, and lay down. Then the Porcu- 
pine tore the meat from the buffalo ribs, and threw 
down piece after piece by the Fox. At first he lay still, 
but by and by his eyes began to gleam greedily, and he 
put his head nearer and nearer the food. 

"Do not touch it until I tell you to," said the 
Porcupine. 

But the Fox jumped up and began to eat. 

"You have broken your word," said the Porcupine. 
"I thought I should give you one last chance to see if 
there were any honesty in you. But you are wicked 
through and through, and you shall die." 



94 



MANABOZHO 



The Fox lifted his head, surprised to hear such words. 
As he did so, the Porcupine, who had a steady aim, threw 
down the buffalo ribs, and hit him on the forehead. The 
heavy bones killed him at once; and so the Fox had his 
punishment. 



THE ADVENTURE OF THE 
BLACK CAT 

IN THE southern part of Manabozho's world there 
lived a beautiful bird named Pookjusquess. She had 
a great many admirers, but her two chief friends were 
the Black Cat and the Sable. They used to do what- 
ever they could to please her. Each hoped that she 
would marry him. 

One day she said that she would like some maple 
sugar. So the Black Cat and the Sable set out to get 
her some. They sailed in a canoe till they reached the 
island where the sugar maples grew. Then they landed, 
and began to look for trees which had a good supply of 
sap. 

In some way they became separated. The Sable 
was going along, looking up at the trunks of the maple 
trees. Suddenly he found that he had stepped into the 
house of the big Black Snake. 

''What are you doing here?" cried the Black Snake 
angrily. 

''I am very sorry," said the Sable; "it was an 
accident." 

95 



96 MANABOZHO 

The Snake's eyes grew very cunning. 

''Never mind," he said. "You may stay with me 
for a while as my guest. But first I want you to find 
me a good straight stick. I am going to entertain you 
very well, but I want a good stick to help." 

So the Sable went after the stick. While he was 
looking for it, he met the Black Cat. He told him all 
that had happened. 

The Black Cat shook his head, and blinked his green 
eyes. 

"It looks suspicious to me," he said. "First the 
Snake is angry; then he becomes very pleasant." 

The Black Cat found a crooked stick. 

"There," he said; "take that to the Snake. Tell 
him he can straighten it in the fire. I shall sit outside 
his house and watch what happens. I will not let him 
harm you." 

The Sable went back to the Snake's house with the 
stick. 

"What does this mean?" said the Black Snake 
crossly. "I asked you for a straight stick. This is as 
crooked as the Grande Ronde River." 

"If you will heat this stick," said the Sable, "it will 
soon straighten. I will light a fire for you." 

"I can light my own fire," said the Snake rudely. 

The Black Cat peeped in at the door. He saw the 



THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLACK CAT 




The Black Cat shook his head and blinked his green eyes 



sly, wicked glances the Snake cast at the Sable. As 
soon as the stick was hot, the Snake said: do not 
think I shall wait till it straightens. I am going to kill 
you with it now." 

He tried to hit the Sable with the stick, but at that 
moment the Black Cat sprang into the house. He 
snatched the hot stick from the Snake, and beat him 
on the head with it. 

''Now, let us go home," he said. ''While you were 
with the Snake, I boiled sap, and made some delicious 
maple sugar. Let us take it to our beautiful Pookjus- 
quess, and I will tell her that I saved your life." 

When the Bird heard the story, she felt very proud 
of the Black Cat. 

"You are cleverer than any one I know," she said; 
"and some day I shall marry you." 

7 



98 



MANABOZHO 



But after a time, Pookjusquess, who was fickle, 
became tired of the Black Cat. She made up her mind 
that she would get rid of him. So she asked him if he 
would not like to go with her to Gull Island, to gather 
gull's eggs. 

He was delighted. He paddled her in his canoe, 
and she perched on the bow, and pretended to enjoy 
herself. When they reached the island, she sat on the 
shore while the Black Cat ran off to hunt for eggs. 

As soon as he was a little way from the shore, the 
Bird loosed the canoe, and away it floated. Then she 
laughed. 

''Good-by, Black Cat. I am tired of you, and I 
am going to leave you here. When the tide comes up 
all the island will be covered with water and you will 
be drowned." 

The Black Cat could hardly believe that he really 
heard these cruel things. He felt very sad as he watched 
her paddle away. Soon the tide came up. It rose higher 
and higher till it covered all but a little spot, of land in 
the center of the island. 

There was a tree growing on this spot, and the 
Black Cat climbed into it. The water rose to the trunk 
of the tree, and then to the branches. The Black Cat 
was sure that he would drown. 

Just as he had given up all hope of being saved, 
Ahmik, the Beaver, appeared, accompanied by the Snail.. 



THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLACK CAT 



They told the Black Cat that they would save him. 
They carried him by turns on their backs till they 
reached the mainland. 

His friend the Sable was at the shore to meet them. 
He gave the Black Cat some food. When he and the 
other animals heard what Pookjusquess had done, they 
said that they would never again speak to her, or have 
anything to do with her. 



THE HARE AND THE WOODPECKER 

ONE day the Hare was very hungry. He thought 
that he would go to the home of Ma-Ma, the 
red-headed Woodpecker, and get something to eat. 
When he reached the door, the Woodpecker came out 
and greeted him kindly. 

''Come in, brother Hare," he said. 
Then he turned to his wife, and asked, ''Have you 
not something that you can give the Hare to eat?" 
"No," she said; "nothing." 

In the center of the place where Ma-Ma lived was a 
large white tamarack tree. The Woodpecker flew into 
this. He began hopping up its trunk, turning his head 
this way and that way, and driving his bill into the wood. 
At last he drew something from the tree, and threw it 
down. It was a fine fat raccoon. He drew out six more, 
and then flew to the ground. 

"We are eating raccoons just now, Hare," he said. 
"I hope you will like our food." 

"It is very good," said the Hare, beginning to eat. 

He sat talking for a long time to the Woodpecker 
and his wife, and when he rose to go, the Woodpecker 

100 



102 



MANABOZHO 



said to his wife, "Give the Hare what is left of the rac- 
coons. Perhaps his children would like to eat them." 

The Hare took the food and departed. The Wood- 
pecker's son flew with him a short distance. When he 
turned to go home, the Hare said, "Tell me, is this what 
you usually eat — raccoon meat?" 

"Yes," replied the young woodpecker. 

"Very well," said the Hare. "Tell your father to 
come and visit me soon. Let him bring a sack with 
him. I shall give him something good to carry home 
with him." 

When the son delivered the message, the Woodpecker 
laughed. 

"I wonder what the Hare expects to give me," he 

said. 

Very soon afterwards he paid a visit to the home of 
the Hare. The Hare had been expecting him for some 
time. 

The Hare thought that he was a clever animal. 
He believed that he could do anything that any other 
creature could do. Often he imitated the actions, and 
the very voices, of the other animals. 

On this occasion he tried to be like the Woodpecker. 
He had changed the position of his house so that in 
the center of it stood a tamarack tree. The guest sat 
under the tree, and then the Hare said, "We are eating 



THE HARE AND THE WOODPECKER 103 

raccoons just now, Woodpecker. Should you like any- 
thing different?" 

"No," answered Ma-Ma. ''Raccoon meat is very 
good." 

Then the Hare tied a piece of bone to his nose in 
imitation of the bill of the Woodpecker. He jimiped 
upon the tree, and attempted to climb it, trying to turn 
his head first on one side, and then on the other as Ma-Ma 
had done. 

He constantly slipped down, but he persevered, 
striking the tree with the bone on his nose. He struck 
so hard that he drove the bone into his nostrils. Blood 
poured forth, and he fainted. 

The Woodpecker, after a good deal of trouble, 
brought him to his senses again. As soon as the Hare 
was better, he began to make excuses for his failure to 
get raccoons. 

The Woodpecker flew into the tree and brought out 
several fine raccoons. 

"There, Hare!" he said. "Twill give you these 
raccoons, because you must be hungry. But I have a 
poor opinion of you. What do you think your cousin 
Manabozho would say to you?" 

Then the Woodpecker flew home. 



THE STORY OF SHINGEBISS 

SHINGEBISS was the name of the Brown Duck. 
He Hved all alone on the shores of Lake Huron. 
In the winter he always had four great logs for his * 
fire. He began to use them toward the end of Novem- 
ber, and finished the last one toward the end of March. 
As he could always find food, he was very comfortable. 

Shingebiss was brave. In the coldest weather he 
wotild go out and waddle across the ice till he came to 
a place where frozen rushes grew. These he would pull 
up, and, through the holes left, he would dive down after 
fish. He always went home dragging a great string of 
fish behind him. Then he warmed himself by his fire, 
and cooked his dinner. 

The name of the northwest wind was Kabebonicca. 
He liked to make every one afraid of his blasts. He 
delighted in seeing the animals cower before him, and he 
was angry because Shingebiss did not seem to be afraid 
of him. 

''This Shingebiss," he said to himself one January, 
"seems as contented as if it were June. I shall see if I 
cannot master him." 

104 



THE STORY OF SHINGEBISS 105 




Shingebiss always went home dragging a great string offish 



So Kabebonicca sent out dreadful blasts, and 
made high drifts of snow. It was ten times colder than 
it had ever been before. None of the animals except 
Shingebiss dared go into the open air for fear of freez- 
ing to death. But Shingebiss did not appear to mind 
the weather. He went out every day for fish, and at 
night he returned and warmed himself by his fire, which 
burned as brightly as ever. 

"Ah, this will never do," said Kabebonicca. "Per- 
haps if I can make Shingebiss hungry I shall conquer 
him." 

So he visited each of the holes where Shingebiss 
always fished. He breathed on them, and puffed great 
piles of snow into them. Then he dropped a little 



io6 MANABOZHO 

water on the snow-filled holes. And soon they were 
all frozen up. 

When Shingebiss visited the plugged holes, he did 
not seem surprised. He merely went past them and 
looked for some more rushes. Then he pulled them 
out and used the holes for diving. 

After Shingebiss had gone home, Kabebonicca filled 
up these holes also. But the sturdy Shingebiss always 
found new holes among the rushes, for he had sharper 
eyes than Kabebonicca. 

"Kabebonicca rushes over the whole earth," he said 
to himself, "while I go but a little way on land and ice. 
It is natural that I should look closely and see small 
things. A thing must be rather large before Kabebonicca 
can see it." 

The northwest wind was sure that a great creature 
like himself could conquer the little Brown Duck. 

"I will not stand this any longer," he said. "I am 
going to his house to see how he lives. If I sit beside 
him, he will soon freeze." 

So he went to the house of Shingebiss. The Brown 
Duck sat by the fire. He had just had his supper and 
was feeling contented. He heard Kabebonicca at the 
door, but he did not say anything. 

Kabebonicca entered and at once the place became 
colder. The flames died down a little and shivered. The 



THE STORY OF SHINGEBISS 107 

Duck pretended not to notice that he had a visitor. He 
began to sing as if to amuse himself, and the words of 
his song were these: 

"I am Shingebiss, the happy Brown Duck, 
Fond of my fishing, and sure of good luck. 
I always return with a string of fresh fish, 
And I fry them all brown in my neat little dish. 
Then I sit by the fire and warm my webbed feet. 
I care not a bit for rain, snow, or sleet. 
I could not be hurt by the heaviest storm, 
For my sturdy brown logs keep me cosy and warm. 
And if Kabebonicca, the northwest wind. 
Were to come to see me, he 'd very soon find 
That though he may rage, and howl, and hiss. 
He cannot alarm little Shingebiss." 

Then Shingebiss got up and took his poker. He 
poked the logs so hard that the little flames sprang up, 
tall and broad. As he poked, tears began to flow down 
the cheeks of Kabebonicca. They flowed fast and 
faster, so that soon his face seemed covered as if with a 
river. 

*'0h, oh, I shall melt!" he cried, his voice sounding 

thin. 

The northwest wind waited only a moment longer, 
and then he rushed into the cool open air. He tumbled 
into a deep snowdrift, and spread out his long hair 
and beard. He took long, deep breaths, and soon he 
felt a little stronger. 



io8 



MANABOZHO 



Ah," he said, "I thought I was going to die! That 
Shingebiss is a wonderful creature. I cannot starve him, 
and I cannot freeze him. Hereafter I shall let him 
alone." 

Then he flapped his wings and flew off toward the 
North Pole. 



THE STORY OF THE SIX 
YOUNG EAGLES 

ONCE there was a happy family of eight eagles. 
There were the father and mother and six sons. 
The sons were all young and so their parents fed 
them. They ate so much that both the father and 
mother had to be away all day working to get enough 
food for them. 

One day some hunters shot the father eagle as he 
was going to the north, and the mother eagle, as she was 
going to the south. The six children waited and waited 
for their parents. All night long they sat in their nest, 
shivering and crying. 

In the morning the eldest one, called Gray Eagle, 
said to the others, ''Dear brothers, I am larger than 
any of you. My feathers are so strong that I think I 
can fiy. I will look for food. I am sure our father and 
mother are dead." 

*'No, no," the others said, ''do not leave us. You 
will be killed if you try to fly." 

"But, brothers," he answered, "if I stay here, we 
shall all die. If I fall and am killed, it only means death 

109 



no 



MANABOZHO 



a little sooner. On the other hand, if I fly in safety, it 
means food for you." 

So saying, Gray Eagle stood on the edge of the nest. 
Then he made a lurch forward. At first he fell in a clumsy 
way, turning over and over. But then he began to flap 
his wings, and after that he managed better. He reached 
the ground safe. 

He practiced flying upward for a little while. Then 
he looked for food. He chose a tiny little pig which he 
found in a sty. Then all the eagles were happy. 

Of course Gray Eagle could not fully supply the 
wants of all six of them, but he got enough food to keep 
them from starving. Every day he made the brothers 
practice flying, and when autimm came they could 
manage their wings fairly well. But they were not very 
skillful in finding things to eat. 

One day Gray Eagle did not return to the nest. 
The others wondered, for he had promised to come back 
soon with a fine swan. They had intended to eat the 
swan, and then start for a southern climate where they 
would spend the winter. 

After waiting a long time in great anxiety, the five 
went in search of Gray Eagle. They found him groaning 
with a broken wing on the ground behind their crag. 

"Dear brothers," he said, "in pouncing on the swan, 
I fell and broke my wing. But do not think of me. 




Gray Eagle stood on the edge of iJie nest 



THE STORY OF THE SIX YOUNG EAGLES m 

Winter will soon be here; go quickly to the south. It is 
better that I should die here alone than that you all 
should perish." 

"Never," cried the five brothers. ''We will never 
desert you. We will stay here and share your suffering. 
We will nurse you and care for you as you cared for us." 

''It will be safer for you if you go," he replied. 

' ' We will not , " they all said. ' ' If the cold kills you, 
it shall kill us. You have been father and mother to us. 
Whether you live or die, we will live or die with you." 

They searched till they found a hollow tree. There 
they carried poor Gray Eagle. Then they worked hard 
to find food for the winter. Soon they had stored a 
great deal in the tree. Then, to be sure that the food 
would last, two of the brothers went south. The other 
three remained to watch over and feed their wounded 
brother. 

In due time, he got well. He repaid the kindness of 
his brothers by giving them much good advice. He told 
them when and where to hunt, after the weather was 
mild. As spring came on, he was able to leave the 
hollow tree and hunt with them. Their food was all 
gone, but that did not matter, for each day all except one 
brought home something to eat. 

That one was Peepi, the youngest. His brothers 
thought he failed to get anything because he was small 



112 



MANABOZHO 




Gray Eagle's five brothers searched till they found a hollow tree 

and foolish. They thought that he flew here and there, 
and did not stay long enough in one place. One day 
Gray Eagle asked him why he always failed. 

"It is not because I cannot hunt," said Peepi. 
kill something evety time I go out, but just as I am 
flying home, the Owl, Ko-ko-ko-ko-ho, robs me of my 

"I shall go out with you to-morrow, Peepi," said 
Gray Eagle. "The Owl will not trouble you if I am with 
you." 

The next day, they went out together. Gray Eagle 
sat by the lake, and Peepi flew out over the waters. Soon 
he pounced upon a fish. 



THE STORY OF THE SIX YOUNG EAGLES 113 

''Well done!" thought Gray Eagle. 

But just as Peepi was landing, a great white Owl, 
which had been hidden in a tree near by, flew out. 

''Give that fish to me, Peepi," he said. 

He was snatching the fish, when Gray Eagle flew up. 
He put his talons in the Owl, and flew home with him. 
Peepi followed with his fish, glad that he had something 
to show at last. 

When Gray Eagle set the Owl down, Peepi flew in 
his face, and wanted to scratch out his eyes. But Gray 
Eagle said: "Hush, hush; do not show such bad tem- 
per. Do not be so revengeful, Peepi. This will be a 
lesson to Ko-ko-ko-ko-ho not to tyrannize in the future. 
Let him get what food is needful to keep him alive, but 
he must not steal it from one who is smaller and weaker 
than himself." 

Then Gray Eagle gave Ko-ko-ko-ko-ho some herbs 
to cure the wounds his talons had made. The Owl 
flew slowly home. As the four brothers watched him, 
they heard a tapping on the other side of their hollow 
tree. They went to see what it was, and there stood the 
two brothers who had gone to the south. They were 
all very happy to be together again. They spent a long 
time talking over the adventures of the wanderers. 

Soon each one chose a mate, and after that there 
were six nests on the crag, and six happy families. 

8 



THE STORY OF THE SUMMER-MAKER 



HIS is the story that Manabozho told the animals 



about how summer came. 
Once upon a time before the animals lived in the 
cavern, and before the flood came, they lived upon the 
earth, which was very cold. One of the animals was a 
sprightly young creature called the Fisher. He loved to 
hunt, and often went out with Ojeeg, his father. But he 
was never happy, because he was always so cold. 

One day he was walking home alone, sobbing because 
he was cold, when he saw a little red Squirrel. The 
Squirrel asked him what was the matter. 

''I am so cold," answered the little Fisher. "I 
cannot hunt when my fingers hurt." 

"My child," said the Squirrel, ''do you not know 
that Ojeeg, your father, is a spirit with great power? 
Ask him to get perpetual summer for you." 

As soon as the little Fisher went home, he begged 
his father for perpetual simimer. 

''My son," said Ojeeg, "you do not know what you 
are asking of me." 

But the Fisher pleaded so hard that at last his father 




114 



T 



THE STORY OF THE SUMMER-MAKER 




One day the Fisher saw a little red Squirrel 



said, "Dear son, your grief is very painful to me. If 
I you cannot be happy without perpetual summer, I 
shall try to get it for you. But it is a great under- 
taking." 

The next day Ojeeg made a great feast and invited 
some of his friends. Afterwards he expected them to 
go on a journey with him. Those who came were the 
Otter, the Beaver, the Lynx, the Badger, and the Wol- 
verine. They sat down to dine on a bear which had been 
roasted whole. 

In three days they set out on the journey. Ojeeg 
left his wife and the little Fisher with great sadness. He 
I did not believe that he would ever return to them. 

I 



ii6 



MANABOZHO 



The party traveled for twenty days till they reached 
the foot of a high mountain. Here they found the 
tracks of some one who had just killed an animal. They 
knew that by the blood that marked the way. They 
followed the tracks, and at last arrived at a lodge. 

' ' Come, ' ' said Ojeeg ; " I know who lives here. Come 
in, but do not laugh on any account." 

They went in and saw a queer creature inside. He 
had a big head, and saw-like teeth, but no paws or arms. 
They wondered how he could get food, but they soon 
found out that he was a magician. 

He boiled food in a large hollow vessel, and by 
some magical means set a share before each of his guests. 
He made so many odd movements in doing this, that the 
Otter burst out laughing. 

The magician gave him a terrible look. Then he 
sprang at the Otter, and fell on him. He intended to 
smother him, for that was the way he killed animals. 
But the Otter slipped from under him, and ran out of the 
door. 

The magician acted as if nothing unusual had hap- 
pened. He talked pleasantly with the other guests. 
He seemed to know why they were taking their journey, 
for he told Ojeeg that he would succeed in his object. 

''But it may cost you your life," he said. "Be care- 
ful not to try to do too much for your son." 



THE STORY OF THE SUMMER-MAKER 117 ' 

Poor Ojeeg sighed, but said nothing. Then the 
magician told them what road to take, and how to act. 

The next morning, when they had gone a mile or 
two, they met the Otter. He was very cold and hungry. 
Ojeeg had taken some meat with him from the magician's 
house, and he gave this to his poor friend. 

They traveled up the mountain for twenty days. 
When they stood on the highest peak, they were aston- 
ished. The sky seemed a very short distance above their 
heads. After they had rested and eaten, the father 
Fisher said: "Now, my friends, we have reached our 
journey's end. Our object is to make a hole in the sky. 
Otter, will you jtimp up and try?" 

The Otter laughed. Then he jumped upward, but 
he did not break into the sky. He fell back, and began 
to roll down the mountain. When he reached the bot- 
tom, he jtimped to his feet, and ran home. Then the 
Beaver tried; he also failed. The Lynx and the Badger 
had no better success. All rolled to the foot of the 
mountain, and ran home. 

"Wolverine," said Ojeeg to his only remaining com- 
panion, "your ancestors have always been famed for 
their activity. I depend on you to succeed. Make the 
leap." 

The Wolverine leapt once and failed. But he did 
not roll downhill. He tried again, and the sky gave way 



ii8 



MANABOZHO 



a little. The third time he tried, he succeeded in making 
the hole. In he leapt, and Ojeeg followed him. 

They found themselves on a beautiful plain extending 
as far as the eye could see. It was covered with flowers 
of all colors and of great sweetness. There were trees, 
too, and streams of clear water. But they saw no birds. 
Here and there were lodges. 

Ojeeg and the Wolverine were delighted. They 
cautiously entered one of the lodges, and then another. 
No one seemed to be living in them except birds. There 
were dozens of birds, but they were all in cages. Ojeeg 
opened the cages, one after another. The birds flew out 
and began to sing. 

Presently they saw the hole in the sky, and began 
to fly downward to the earth. The warm air followed 
them. Ojeeg thought that now at last the little Fisher 
would be happy. 

"Come, come," called the Wolverine. ''You have 
set free hundreds of birds. We have enough. Let us 
go, for those who live here will surely soon return." 

"I shall soon be ready," said Ojeeg. ''All the warm 
air has not yet gone, and I want to get some more birds 
for the little Fisher." 

"Remember the magician's warning," said the 
Wolverine. 

At that moment the spirits who owned the beautiful 



THE STORY OF THE SUMMER-MAKER 119 




Ojeeg and the Wolverine found themselves on a beautiful plain 



plain came rushing toward Ojeeg and the Wolverine. 
They saw that their warm air was going to the earth. 
When they reached the hole, autumn, spring, and simimer 
had already gone. Perpetual summer was just slipping 
through. They seized and caught it, and part of it 
broke off. Only a little of it succeeded in getting to 
earth, and the edges of it where it broke were so 
mangled that it has been weak ever since. That is 
why people who live where there is perpetual summer 
are never so healthy as people are who live where 
there is some cold weather. 

The Wolverine slipped through the hole just before 
perpetual summer started. Before Ojeeg could try to 
escape, the spirits had closed up the hole. 



I20 



MANABOZHO 



Ojeeg began to run along the plains. The spirits 
ran after him. They came so near to him that at last 
he saw he could not escape in that way. He climbed a 
tall tree, hoping to gain a little time. 

They stood below and began to shoot arrows at him. 
But he could be htirt only in one spot, which was an inch 
from the tip of his tail. So at first the arrows had no 
effect on him. The spirits were astonished, but they were 
determined to kill him. 

They began to aim arrows at every bit of his body. 
Ojeeg tried to protect his tail. When they saw that, 
they covered his tail with arrows, and at last shot him 
in the fatal spot. He fell heavily to the ground. 

The spirits crowded around him, and he said, ''I am 
dying, but I have fulfilled my promise to my son. I am 
happy because I have done so much good for him and for 
my fellow creatures. Simimer is now on earth." 

The spirits knew that he spoke the truth. They 
admired him because he was so brave. 

He continued: ''I shall be famous, too. I shall be 
turned into a group of stars, and every time any one 
looks at me, he will remember what I have done." 

Then the father Fisher died. The next night, a new 
group of stars appeared in the sky. The Indians call 
them the Fisher group, but white people call them the 
Plough. 



THE VISIT TO THE SKY 

ALL the animals liked to watch the sky at night. It 
seemed to them so beautiful when it was full of 
bright stars. The Turtle and the Deer both wished 
they could visit the sky. 

One day the Turtle decided to go, no matter how 
much trouble it cost him. So the next time the Thimder 
Bird came into the sky, the Turtle called to him boldly, 
''Thunder Bird, please lift me up to the sky." 

The Thunder Bird was amazed at being spoken to, 
because most of the animals were afraid of him. How- 
ever, although he was a fierce bird, he could be good- 
natured. So he lifted the Turtle in his beak, and carried 
him up into the sky. 

Just below him the Turtle saw the Thunder Bird 
making thtmder and lightning. But above him the stars 
were shining and the sky was blue. The Turtle crawled 
up and down the Milky Way and talked to the stars. 
He was very happy, and not at all ready to go when the 
Thunder Bird came for him. 

"Let me stay longer," he begged. 

"No, indeed," said the Thunder Bird. "I should 

121 



122 



MANABOZHO 



not have taken you at all. 1 11 never do it again, mind 
that." 

''I thought perhaps you would take the Deer," said 
the Turtle timidly. ''He wants very much to visit the 
sk}'." 

"Well, I can't take him," said the Thunder Bird. 

And he set the Turtle down hard on a rock. 

When the Deer heard what the Thunder Bird had 
said, he was disappointed. He wanted very much to 
visit the stars. However, he thought that perhaps 
there might be som.e one else besides the Thunder Bird 
whom he could ask for help. 

He decided to speak to the Rainbow. 

"Won't you let me run along your beautiful path 
to the sk}'?" he asked. 

The Rainbow considered, and then said, "Come to 
me in the winter when I am resting by the mountain, 
and I will can*}- you to the sk^^" 

The Deer did nothing but sit beside the mountain 
all winter. He neglected his friends. He did not attend 
the coimcils which Manabozho called for the animals. 
He merely waited for the Rainbow. But she never 
came. 

In the spring he foimd her by the river St. Lawrence. 
"You deceived me." he said to her. "Why did you 
not come as you promxised?" 



THE VISIT TO THE SKY 



123 




''Won't you let me run along your beautiful path to the sky?" asked the Deer 



"The weather was too cold," she said. ''I could 
not come. But wait for me by Lake Ontario, and as soon 
as the fog appears, I will join you." 

The Deer waited for many days by Lake Ontario. 
The other animals reminded him of the great spring 
council every animal was expected to attend. He said he 
would be present unless the one he was waiting for came. 

On the very day of the council, the Rainbow ap- 
peared. She made a beautiful path for him, and he joy- 
fully ran along it. First he went through a strange 
forest, and then past a high mountain, and at last he 
reached the sky. 



124 



MANABOZHO 



When the animals met in council, the Great Bear 
missed the Deer, and asked where he was. Several began 
to seek him. The Wolf looked in the forests; the Hawk 
looked in the air. At last the Turtle entered the coimcil. 
He said that he had seen the Deer running along the 
Rainbow, to get to the sky. 

The animals looked intently into the sky. After a 
time the sharper-sighted ones said that they saw the Deer 
in the sky playing with the comets. They ran to the 
Rainbow, and begged her to let them use her path so that 
they could join the Deer. 

The Rainbow hesitated. 

"My path is rather thin," she said. I do not know 
whether it will hold you all or not." 

"Let us try," said the animals. "We can let the 
little ones go first to see if it will hold." 

So the Rainbow consented. First the Grasshopper 
hopped along; then the Sparrow; then the Raven; then 
Shingebiss; then the Beaver. Last of all went the Great 
Bear. One after another they hopped, and flew, and 
ran, and trotted along. 

The Rainbow felt much anxiety. She was greatly 
relieved when they all reached the sky in safety. She 
rested, while they played with the stars. When it was 
almost morning, she called to them, " It is time to return, 
friends. Hurry, for I am thinner than I was." 



THE VISIT TO THE SKY 125 




Last of all up the Rainbow path went the Great Bear 



The animals were sorry to leave the stars, but most 
of them ran at once to the Rainbow. Only three came 
more slowly. 

''Quick, quick!" called the Rainbow. "Shingebiss, 
Ahmik, and Great Bear, do not loiter!" 

Shingebiss and Ahmik hurried on to the path of the 
Rainbow. The Great Bear, however, paused one moment 
to bid good-by to his old friend the Fisher stars. 

''Oh, I am crumbling away," cried the Rainbow to 

him. 

The Great Bear looked up, and there was a big black 
gap between him and the edge of the Rainbow. It was 
too wide to leap over. He saw Ahmik and the other 



126 



MANABOZHO 



animals running along as fast as they could with the Rain- 
bow crumbling behind their heels. 

"It is too late," said the Rainbow. "The others 
are safe, but not you." 

So the Great Bear had to stay in the sky where you 
can see him to this day. 



HOW THE ANIMALS LOST 
THEIR SPEECH 

TT IS hard to believe that animals could once talk 
^ as you listen now to the neigh of the horse, the squeal 
of the pig, and the bleat of the kid. Yet they once 
spoke as well as any intelligent human being. 

When the Rooster feels proud now, he flies upon a 
fence and flaps his wings and says, ' ' Cock-a-doodle-do ! " 
But formerly he would turn to his wife and say, ''My dear, 
do you not think I am handsome?" When the hen lays 
an egg now, she cackles. Formerly she used to say, 
''There now!" 

The animals lost their power of speech on account 
of the folly of the king of the elks. The elks were red 
and gray animals of great strength. Whenever they 
went on journeys, they kept up a long steady trot for 
hours, and never seemed to tire. 

The king was the largest of them all. When he stood 
with his people round him, he rose far above them. He 
looked like a tall pine tree surrounded by little saplings. 
No matter how deep a snow drift was he could run over 
it with great speed. The branches of his huge wide- 

. 127 



128 



MANABOZHO 



spreading antlers were as large and thick as the limbs of 
the biggest oak tree that ever grew. 

The Elk did not like Manabozho. He often wished 
that he could rule over all the other animals as well as 
over the elks. One day he was talking in this way to 
an old magician. 

''I am so tired of hearing Manabozho*s name/* he 
said. "I wonder if he is going to rule forever." 

The magician replied, ''There is a prophecy that if 
an elk and a beaver should marry before Manabozho 
hears of the wedding, their son will be greater than 
Manabozho." 

The king of the elks was a slow-witted animal. 
He thought for some time, and then he said, "Why 
should not I marry a beaver?" 

"That is a good plan," said the magician. "You 
are a great elk. And the beavers have power next 
to Manabozho." 

"I should think that my son would be greater than 
Manabozho, ' ' said the king of the elks. " I am very much 
obliged to you for what you have told me." 

"Be sure not to let Manabozho know," called the 
magician after him. 

The king of the elks trotted along till he came to 
Lake Nipissing where the beavers live. They all rose 
up to greet him. He chose a beautiful female beaver and 



I 



i 



I 




HOW THE ANIMALS LOST THEIR SPEECH 129 

asked her to marry him. The beavers agreed to the 
match. 

The king of the elks did not tell them why he wanted 
the marriage but he talked and boasted a great deal to 
his people. 

''Just a little longer," he said, ''and Manabozho will 
be overthrown." 

He was so proud of what was going to happen, that 
he decided to have a great wedding feast. He said to 
the beavers: "I am going to invite every one but 
Manabozho." 

The beavers wondered, but they said nothing. The 
little birds of whom Manabozho was so fond heard the 
Elk, and wondered, too. 

"How strange!" they said to one another. "The 
elk king is not going to invite our Manabozho to his 
wedding." 

"What!" said Hega, the Buzzard, when she heard 
it. "I shall never again doctor the elks when they are 
sick." 

She told the Eagle, and the Eagle told the Raven, 
and the Raven told the Kingfisher, and the Kingfisher 
told the Woodpecker. Manabozho heard them chat- 
tering. He did not ask any questions. He went quietly 
about his duties. 

The king of the elks laughed as he saw him. 

9 



I30 MANABOZHO 

"Manabozho does not suspect," he said. "And 
very, very soon his power will be done." 

The king of the elks spent a great deal of time plotting 
against Manabozho. He made dozens of plans by which 
his son should overthrow Manabozho. Manabozho heard 
them all, but said nothing. 

On the day of the wedding ah the animals were as- 
sembled on the banks of Lake Nipissing. The king of 
the elks walked proudly among them, and boasted of his 
son who was to rule after Manabozho. The animals 
listened in wonder. Then they began to discuss the 
matter. Their voices rose, deep and shrill, soft and 
loud, making a great babble. 

In the midst of the noise, Manabozho appeared. 
He looked angrily at the king of the elks, and sadly at 
the other animals. 

*'My children," he said, ''you have been guilty of 
listening to the plans and stratagems against me, which 
the Great Elk has made. You may make plans if you , 
please, but you shall never again talk of them." 

Then the Great White Rabbit picked a thorn and 
went up to the Elk. He opened the animal's mouth, 
and made two holes in it, one in his tongue, and the other 
in the inner side of his jaw. Then he tied down his tongue 
with a thread of mulberry bark. 

All the animals looked on, too amazed to say 



HOW THE ANIMALS LOST THEIR SPEECH 131 




In the midst of the noise Manahozho appeared 



anything. Then Manabozho picked some black mush- 
rooms, some leaves of the maple tree, and some dogwood 
flowers. He made them into tiny rolls about the size of 
the eyeball of a humming bird. He gave each animal a 
roll to eat. 

The Mocking Bird ate only three quarters of hers, 
and the Parrot only a third. But all the other animals 
ate all that Manabozho gave them. Then the Dog turned 
to Manabozho to explain that he had meant no harm. 
But all he said was ''Bow-wow!" 

And Shingebiss tried to tell his wife that it was 
time to go home, but all he said was ''Quack, quack!" 

Then all the animals tried to talk to Manabozho, 



132 MANABOZHO 

and instead of speech he heard yelping and roaring and 
howHng and gnmting and squeaHng and chirping. 

The Mocking Bird, however, managed to say a word 
or two, while the Parrot spoke several sentences. And 
since that day, no animal except those two has been able 
to talk. 



THE BIBLIOGRAPHY 



As the child's interest in Indian lore increases, the teacher may find 
material for supplementary oral stories in the following hooks: 

Myths and Legends 
Canfield, W. W. Legends of the Iroquois. 
CoMPTON, Margaret. American Indian Fairy Tales. 
CuRTiN, J. Creation Myths of Primitive America. 

Myths of the Modocs. i 
Emerson, E. R. Indian Myths. 

Grinnell, George B. Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales. 
Hardy, Mary Earle. Little Ta-Wish. 
Judd, Mary Catherine. Wigwam Stories. 

JuDSON, Katharine B. Myths and Legends of California and the Old 
Southwest. 

Myths and Legends of Alaska. 

Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest. 

Myths and Legends of the Great Plains. 
Leland, C. G. Algonquin Legends of New England. 
Longfellow, Henry W. Hiawatha. 
McClintock, W. Old North Trail. 
Phillips, W. S. Indian Fairy Tales. 
Proudfoot, Mary. Hiawatha Industrial Reader. 
Schoolcraft, H. R. The Indian Fairy Book. 

Thirty Years with Indian Tribes. 
Spence, L. Mirths and Legends of the North American Indians. 
Washburne, Marion F. Indian Legends. 

History and Romance 
Catlin, G. North American Indians. 
Eastman, Charles A. Indian Boyhood. 
Grinnell, George B. The Story of the Indian. 
HiNMAN, Elizabeth E. Naya. 

Starr, Frederick. American Indians. - 



133 



New Stories of Industrial and Foreign Life 
For Grade Readers 

The Hiawatha Industrial Reader. By Mary A. Proudfoot, formerly 
Assistant Superintendent of Public Schools, Bay City,- Michigan. For 
grades three and four. 

A social and industrial story of the American Indian which parallels 
the experience of the child who is himself primitive. Though based upon 
The Song of Hiawatha and laced together with prose, the stories unfold facts 
of early life that grip the child. In the struggle for shelter, clothing, social 
and industrial expression, he recognizes his own primitive gropings and 
meets them gladly. In The Suggestions to Teachers is found a veritable mine 
of related work. , t ah o t i 

Illustrated with many beautiful wash drawmgs by J. Allen St. John. 

Cloth, 193 pages 50 cents 

Weavers and Other Workers. Jennie Hall, author of Viking Tales, 
Four Old Greeks, and The Story of Chicago. For third and fourth grades. 

Weaving and alHed occupations from the shepherd and his flock in early 
times to the final expression in the wonderful Persian rug. In the develop- 
ment of the industry, Jews, Persians, Bedouins, Navajo Indians are seen in 
their contributive work of herding, spinning, weaving, dyeing, and through 
the mediums of such prose, poetry and pictures as second and third graders 
have seldom enjoyed. The correlated manual work is of great interest. 

Illustrated with many half-tone reproductions of masterpieces and wash 

drawings by Milo Winter. Cloth, 170 pages 50 cents 

Child Life in Other Lands. H. Avis Perdue, of Chicago Normal School, 
joint author of Child Life in Many Lands, and Language Through Nature, 
Literature and Art. u 1 -1 j 

A Httle book that brings together from all over the world children and 
their particular countries — nations involved in the war or affected by it. 
Thus, at the great moment of world history, are httle Americans enabled to 
get an insight into the home life and occupations, games and hoHdays, national 
songs and stories of httle people who, in the future, will be bound to us much 
more closely than in the past. , , , <• 

Illustrated with wash drawings by Milo Winter and half-tones from 

photographs. Cloth, 232 pages 50 cents 

Hindu Tales. Teresa Peirce WiUiston, author of Japanese Fairy Tales, 
Series I, II. For fourth and fifth grades. , , , , c 

In Hindu Tales httle Westerners strike a fresh trail to the realms of 
wonderland. Stories of nature and animal interest, magic and soul trans- 
ference they reflect not only the thought and poetic mysticism of the East, 
but the old Ufe of the people— a life and spirit further emphasized by the 
unusual color work of Maud Hunt Squire. The book closes with rich matenal 
for the teacher's use on the geography and current life of India. 

Illustrated with many color plates by Maud Hunt Squire and decorative 
borders of Hindu spirit. Cloth, 84 pages 50 cents 



Chicago 



Rand McNally & Company 



New York 



Tke Quaint Life and Home Interests 
of Children in Many Countries 



together with a simple industrial note are charmingly disclosed in 
these readers. Illustrations are by the best artists 
for children, and the covers are like 
those of gift books 

Holland Stories. Mary E. Smith. For grades two and three. 

Stories picturing in the simplest and most reaHstic way the home 
life and pleasures of the little Dutch children, together with the unique 
industries of Holland — such as digging peat, making cheese and wooden 
shoes, and the work of the windmills and canals. 

Illustrated with twelve full pages in color and fifty-five hne 
drawings by Bonnibel Butler. Cloth, 159 pages 50 cents 

Eskimo Stories. Mary E. Smith. For grades two and three. 

Full of movement, and the snap of northern air. Hunting, fishing, and 
outdoor sports of the snowbound people and their sturdy little sons are vividly 
pictured. ^ This, with strange birds and animals, and the fact that all this is 
characteristic of a part of our country makes the little book doubly attractive. 

Illustrated with seventeen full-page and seventy-seven text illustrations 
in half tones by Howard V. Brown. Cloth, 189 pages 40 cents 

Pilgrim Stories. Margaret Blanche Pumphrey. For grades three and four. 

Charming little stories of Pilgrim times, bringing out in the most engaging 
style the child life of the day and the history back of it. The Brewster children 
are the center of interest, and through them are told the experiences of the 
Pilgrims in all their wanderings from Scrooby Inn to the landing at Plymouth, 
and the first Thanksgiving. 

Illustrated with six full pages, and forty-five text line drawings by Lucy 
Fitch Perkins. Cloth, 256 pages 45 cents 

The Four Wonders. Cotton, Wool, Linen, Silk. Elnora E. Shillig. 
For grades three and four. 

In short story form, the four great cloth industries are 
developed, each from its source to the finished product. What 
these_ stories embody of nature, industry, and fairy lore bound 
up with child life is well worth the attention of primary teachers. 

Illustrated with four plates in colors, line and wash 
drawings by Charles Copeland, and photographs. Cloth, 137 
pages 50 cents 



Rand McNally & Company 



Chicago 



New York 



Fairy Friends and Awesome Strangers 

Summoned Out of the Glowing Past 

in these supplementary readers for children 
— stories for the wonder time of childhood 

Adventures of a Brownie. Dinah Maria Mulock Craik. Edited 
by Marion Foster Washburne. For grades three and four. 

One of those rare stories that combine sweet and simple home 
atmosphere with the most winning folklore and nature elernents. It 
seems quite natural for the Brownie to live like a cricket under a coal, 
and to appear at will in the fragrant orchards, and sweet green fields to _ 
frolic with the children. Loved by every child and grown-up who knows it 
Illustrated with a portrait of Mrs. Craik, a full-page half tone, and 
thirty-nine line drawings by Will Vawter. Cloth, 152 pages 35 cents 

Indian Legends. Marion Foster Washburne. For grades three and four. 

Legends rich in imagery and strange impressiveness— stories that cast 
a spell about the reader. Chosen for their beauty, interest, and variety of 
tvpe and presented in nobly simple style, they mean an early interest on the 
part of the child not only in the history of the Red Man, but of the country 
that was his. The titles glow with the color of the story: The Flight from 
the Fourth to the Fifth World, Coyote and the Bear Maiden, Scarface, Tul- 
chuherris, The Ice King. 

Richly illustrated by Frederick Richardson. Cloth 45 cents 

Old Fashioned Fairy Talcs. Marion Foster Washburne. For grades 
three and four. 

Though really stories of our great grandmother's day, they have all the 
verve and interest of a first told tale. Little Red Riding Hood Puss in 
Boots, The Sleeping Beauty, and Hop o' My Thumb, m the very delightful 
dress of Mrs. Washburne's weaving seem entirely new and original, l^as- 
cinating and full of action, these stories belong to that class whose interest 

^^^^Five full pages in poster colors, and twenty-two text illustrations. Cloth, 
115 pages... 45 cents 

The Early Sea-People. First Steps in the Conquest of the Waters. 
Katharine E. Dopp, University of Chicago. For grades three and four. 
An absorbing story of fishing, the second industry of man, and its influence 
on race development. Tribes driven to the outskirts of the world settle on 
the shores of the sea, and their life is made by it. The hero of the age is the 
man who first ventured upon the vast unknown waters m search of food and 
a safer island home. , -r-r 1 tt -o j 
Unusual full-page and text illustrations by Howard V. Brown and 
Kyohei Inukai. Cloth, 244 pages 50 cents 

Chicago Rand McNally & Company New York 




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